On Tuesday night, the Seattle Kraken breathed a sigh of relief courtesy of a comfortable 4-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Apart from the sweet taste of victory, two positives were not exclusively related to the Kraken. Seattle called up a couple of players from its American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Firebirds, making young guns Logan Morrison and Ryan Winterton part of the action. With that in mind, what help can the Firebirds provide the Kraken in the short and medium term?
The Firebirds Creation and Rapid Success
Anyone who pays fleeting attention to the AHL would be forgiven for ignoring the Firebirds’ existence. The main reason, other than the notion of hockey played in the Coachella region being somewhat unexpected, is that it didn’t exist before the AHL’s 2022-23 season.
Shortly after the Kraken name came into existence in 2020, the club needed an affiliate team, just like most NHL franchises are equipped with: a minor league club where potential NHLers hone their craft that Seattle could call players up from when needed. For a while, it was looking as if an ECHL team might be a good fit and that the Idaho Steelheads may be promoted to the AHL. Ultimately, the decision was made to create an expansion club, and the Coachella Valley Firebirds were born.
Related: Coachella Valley Firebirds Team Page
While the Kraken didn’t experience a maiden campaign like the Vegas Golden Knights the irony is that the Firebirds did. Just as Vegas played the Stanley Cup Final during its first crack at the NHL, Coachella Valley tussled with the Hershey Bears for the Calder Cup in their inaugural season. Things looked promising when the Firebirds took a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven matchup, but the Bears came back to capture the trophy with a 4-3 series win. Despite the disappointing result, the team is great, which is even more interesting since the Kraken need help given the season they’ve had.
Stanley Cup Champion Dan Bylsma Leads Firebirds
Looking a bit deeper into how the Firebirds are set up, one name stands out: Dan Bylsma. The Michigan product was himself an instant hit in the NHL back in 2009 when he arrived behind the Pittsburgh Penguins’ bench mid-season and helped guide the club to a Stanley Cup win a few months later. He would remain with the Penguins until the summer of 2014 when he was fired by management, despite his record was stellar and the team’s frequent participation in the playoffs.
He would go on to coach the Buffalo Sabres for two seasons before getting fired in 2017. That chapter was not as exciting unless one has a nose for controversy, such as Jack Eichel, then a Sabre, reportedly claiming he wouldn’t re-sign if Bylsma stayed.
In any event, Bylsma is a reputable coach at the professional level. It shouldn’t be too surprising the Firebirds played well from the get-go under his leadership and have followed up that success with another stellar campaign. As of this writing, they have not only clinched another playoff berth with a 39-13-5-4 record but amassed enough points to bypass the first round in the AHL’s postseason format.
Related: Kraken: 5 Cool Facts About Dan Bylsma
There is no indication Kraken management has any plans to get rid of head coach Dave Hakstol. In July 2023, he was signed to an extension that goes through the 2025-2026 season. On the flip side, that was a classic case of a team putting pen to paper after a little bit of success (a second-round playoff appearance) but not a ton. Now mathematical elimination is imminent and, apart from the win over the Ducks – who aren’t very good – the team has been dreadful for weeks. The Hockey Writers isn’t in the business of starting rumours, but, interestingly, the Kraken’s AHL affiliate has a proven winner just in case. At the very least, Bylsma will help develop key talent that can assist Seattle.
Morrison, Winterton, and Help on the Way for Kraken
Guelph native Morrison made his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Ducks. Only 21 years old, Hakstol game him a decent leash, logging in 14:21 of ice time, enough for him to tally his first three shots on goal in the pros. He didn’t score, but he was a presence. Winterton saw 10:51 of action and forced Anaheim goalie John Gibson to repel three attempts. It was Winterton’s fourth time donning the deep-sea blue of a Kraken jersey this season.
This was an excellent moment for Seattle to allow its prospects some see some NHL action. Anaheim didn’t put up much of a fight (12 shots on goal and five penalties), but Morrison and Winterton still got to experience hockey at the pro level. They are among several Firebirds who have been called up this season now: Max McCormick, Kole Kind, and 2022 first-round pick Shane Wright are some of the other players who have been asked to fill big skates at the elite level.
Looking at the AHL players leaderboard for March 27, Kind is fifth in scoring with 57 points in 59 games (14 goals and 43 helpers), and two other players, McCormick and Cameron Hughes, are in the top 15 with 51 points each. All have excellent plus-minus figures as well.
There is no doubt the Kraken have options from their minor league affiliate as Coachella Valley is moulding some very good players. They may not be instant hits since transitioning to a faster, tougher game is tricky, but with the Kraken struggling as much as they have, there should be considerations to give these players more chances in the not-too-distant future.
