The AHL regular season has ended, and the Kraken’s affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds are gearing up for a push toward the Calder Cup. With the return of recent NHL-rostered Nikke Kokko, Victor Östman, Jacob Melanson, and Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, the team is looking playoff-ready.
In their first two season, the Firebirds made it to the Calder Cup finals, eventually losing to the Hershey Bears both times. In 2025 they were eliminated early, falling to the Abbotsford Canucks in the Pacific Division Semifinals (round 2). The Canucks went on to win it all and hoist the Calder Cup.
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For 2026, the Firebirds will meet the Bakersfield Condors in the first round. It is a best-of-three series that will start on April 23rd in Bakersfield before returning to the Valley over the weekend. The teams met seven times during the regular season and the Firebirds only claimed one victory. It will be a fight, but one the team is ready for.