ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Even earlier than his American Hockey League Coachella Valley Firebirds swept a two-game collection towards the Abbotsford Canucks this previous weekend, head coach Derek Laxdal smiled when requested if he’s nonetheless having enjoyable.
For context, he’s in his twentieth yr as a head coach with junior groups within the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League plus professional hockey stops within the Central Hockey League, ECHL, and AHL. His taking part in days as a right-wing began at 16 years previous within the WHL in 1982 and spanned by way of the 2000-01, together with 67 NHL video games with Toronto and the New York Islanders, a whole lot extra AHL video games, and 5 seasons taking part in overseas in Nice Britain.
That’s 4 a long time of shifts, video games, practices, and rinks. But Laxdal was beaming in a service hall on the Abbotsford Centre after the AHL affiliate Firebirds morning skate final Friday. Today, his hockey life consists of frequent particular person movie classes with each participant on the roster.
“That is the thrilling half,” stated Laxdal, “The expansion you get to see day by day you come to the rink and your work with gamers, you are working with veterans, you are working with younger rookies, you are working with second-year gamers. For me, it is all in regards to the educating and seeing the rewards and the outcomes of the video games, however most of all seeing gamers develop.”
Deciding on Laxdal
The participant enchancment, after all, is precisely why Kraken GM Ron Francis and the hockey operations group carried out a deep seek for Dan Bylsma’s successor at Coachella Valley. What stood out was Laxdal’s work with the Dallas Stars group from 2014 to 2022. He served first as head coach of the AHL Texas Stars after which three seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL membership. In 2018, Laxdal led the Austin-based Texas Stars to the Calder Cup Last, dropping in seven video games to the Toronto Marlies. Within the 2020 pandemic-induced NHL bubble, Laxdal was a part of Dallas reaching the Stanley Cup Last.
Some elite NHL gamers on Laxdal’s AHL groups embrace such Dallas standouts as ahead Roope Hintz and defenseman Esa Lindell, together with one other younger defenseman-now- Kraken-stalwart, Jamie Oleksiak. On Friday, Laxdal talked about his working with high-scoring ahead Jason Robertson and No. 1 goalie Jake Oettinger amongst different Stars.
“I put as a lot emphasis on our veterans as with the younger gamers,” stated Laxdal. “I’ll sit down with Ben Meyers [just called up to the Kraken], sit down with John Hayden and Max McCormick. We’ll go over the video. We’ll go over shifts. If I see one thing that may assist a participant enhance and assist a participant get to the extent that he needs to play, that is the rewarding half for me in teaching.
“I like the event degree. Clearly, I like being within the NHL too. However that is the following neatest thing, working with gamers who’re going to be within the subsequent Seattle Kraken lineups. Any time you see a participant get referred to as up or graduate to the Nationwide Hockey League, it is not solely rewarding as a head coach however in your workers. Everyone performs an element.”
Getting the Gamers’ Perspective
One of many high prospects at Coachella Valley, 2022 second-rounder Jagger Firkus, confirmed his head coach’s diligence.
“He’s open-door; you may speak to him,” stated Firkus. “He is providing you with suggestions each single day, which is tremendous necessary for a youthful man. He makes positive you understand what it is advisable to do and enhance on it.’
Hayden, a veteran who has performed for 9 completely different coaches throughout 5 NHL groups and two AHL franchises, concurs: “Earlier than our final sport [a 4-2 home win over Ontario Nov. 10], he pulled me out of the locker to do some video from the sport earlier than, simply to go over some clips, nuances of the sport and even small particulars that would presumably assist the group win if we’re on the identical web page.”
So, 9 completely different coaches … What’s Hayden’s tackle his latest chief?
“It’s been nice,” stated Hayden. “Lax has the arrogance to implement a few of his personal dynamics and in addition the humility to know {that a} group that went to the finals twice in a row, plenty of stuff has most likely labored properly already. He balances that, and he emphasizes group dynamics and household. He’s large on taking part in for one another.”
Bonding on the Highway
The togetherness dynamic seems to be working. Observing the group on the rink and lodge over the weekend, the veterans are clearly making time to assist and befriend youthful teammates regardless of which gamers are more than likely sure for NHL video games.
The group’s current six-game, 10-day highway journey, er, make that odyssey validated Laxdal’s one-for-all group dynamic. The journey began in San Jose on Oct. 30, then moved to Bakersfield, CA, for 2 video games, onto Loveland, CO (46 miles north of Denver) for 2 extra, and eventually, why not, another highway contest at Ontario, CA. The journey began with three losses within the first 4 video games, dropping CVF’s document to 3-5-0, with the final of these losses a 5-0 shutout at Colorado. However the subsequent night time in Loveland, the Firebirds put three targets on the scoreboard within the second interval (from Hayden, Firkus, and rookie Llyeton Roed) to assemble a 3-2 victory behind rookie Nikke Kokkoin web.
Coachella Valley received at Ontario to complete the journey 2-4-0 and even the season document to 5-5-0. The Firebirds hosted division rival Ontario on Nov. 10 and received the Sunday matinee. After getting much-needed sleep and follow time at residence, the Firebirds have been again on the highway in B.C., successful twice in lower than 30 hours to increase the successful streak to 5 video games. Subsequent up is Wednesday’s residence sport versus acquainted foe Colorado.
‘Galvanized’ and Again at Increased Area of AHL Standings
“In the event you have a look at our 11 video games [before the Abbotsford weekend sweep], we very simply might have been eight and three,” stated Laxdal, referring to shut losses. “The primary three or 4 video games, we had plenty of our bodies. Now, with call-ups [including Hayden and Ryan Winterton at times] and accidents, all of our guys actually stepped up and galvanized their group … They’ve performed a extremely good job of shopping for into what we’re educating to get higher sport by sport.”
Hayden, an enormous a part of the 2 Western Convention championship groups in CVF’s first two AHL seasons, likes what he sees – loads: “What’s promising is the successful document regardless of accidents and new faces. It reveals that we’re able to. I feel this may very well be one other Firebirds group that goes on a deep run. It is a fairly cool mixture of fellows which were within the group and first- and second-year guys. These [young] guys are legit gamers. It is enjoyable to play with them.”
