The Coachella Valley Firebirds announced their full schedule Thursday for the 2024-25 American Hockey League season.
Incoming Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal and his squad will face the Bakersfield Condors to open the season Oct. 11 at Acrisure Arena. The Firebirds, the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate, were 4-1-3 against the Condors, the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, in the 2023-24 season, including a 1-1-2 record at Acrisure Arena.
This will be the second consecutive season the Firebirds will face Bakersfield in their home opener. The Firebirds lost to the Condors, 3-2, in their 2023-24 opener.
The Firebirds’ first away game will come against the San Diego Gulls on Oct. 18 in the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate’s home opener. The two teams will also meet on April 19, 2025, both teams’ last match of the 2024-25 campaign.
All nine divisional opponents are on the schedule, with multiple games against Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Calgary, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose and Tucson. The Firebirds will also play eight times outside of the Pacific Division, four games each against the Texas Stars and the Chicago Wolves. This will mark the first head-to-heads against the Wolves in franchise history.
In addition to the Firebirds’ showdowns, the AHL Board of Governors also unanimously designated Acrisure Arena to host the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic, which will take place on Feb. 2-3.
“The arena has not only become a beacon for world-class entertainment but also a catalyst for economic growth and job creation in our region,” said Scott White, President & CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs, in a statement. “The success of our hometown hockey team … has been a significant part of this achievement.”
Fans can view the full schedule at cvfirebirds.com/schedule/2024-25-schedule/ and purchase season tickets at cvfirebirds.com/tickets/season-tickets/. Single-game tickets will be made available at a later date.