The Firebirds hockey team has secured a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs for the third consecutive year. Despite not boasting the same regular season records as previous years, the team remains optimistic about its playoff prospects.
Currently holding the No. 4 seed in the Pacific Division, the Firebirds are prepared to face potential opponents in the opening Best-of-3 round with home advantage, thanks to the AHL’s proximity rule for playoff travel.
Troy Bodie, vice president of hockey and business operations, expressed optimism, stating, “I think there are a lot of great storylines heating up for us right now that could lead to some success for us going into this first round of the playoffs.”
The team expects reinforcements with the potential return of John Hayden, Cale Fleury, and Jani Nyman from the NHL to strengthen their postseason roster. The recovery of injured players like Gustav Olofsson and Ales Stezka is anticipated, although captain Max McCormick’s return is doubtful. “I don’t foresee us getting Max back in the near future, which is very unfortunate; he is our captain, our leader, the engine that drives us for the most part,” Bodie remarked.
Bodie expressed confidence in the team’s blend of experienced players and emerging talents. “Obviously, we went to the Finals our first two seasons, and so we have a lot of playoff experience from guys like Fleury, Olofsson, Hayden, Winterton, Morrison – they know what it takes to get playoff wins,” he commented.
Possible playoff opponents include Calgary and San Jose, with mixed results in past matchups. “Playoffs are a different beast; yes, San Jose has a good power play, they can score, they have good goaltending. They’ll be a difficult opponent if that’s who we play, and we won’t take them lightly,” Bodie stated.
Head coach Derek Laxdal, known for his postseason expertise, will lead the Firebirds. “Derek is a very meticulous coach and he knows how to win pressure games,” Bodie concluded, highlighting Laxdal’s history of success in the playoffs.
