Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal draws rave reviews from players for navigating difficult year

Less than a year ago, Derek Laxdal was hired as the second coach in Coachella Valley Firebirds history.

And he was immediately put in a tricky position. OK coach, simply take over this team that has never had a season that didn't end in the Calder Cup Finals, and this year instead of a ton of veterans, we're going to have you use mostly young players. Good luck!

Add to that more than a few costly and untimely injuries, and Laxdal really had his work cut out for him.

Despite all that, the team battled for a division title and led the Pacific Division as last as early March before fading to fourth place. Then came a first-round playoff sweep of Calgary, before being eliminated by a hot and healthy Abbotsford team in the second round.

All in all, it's fair to say that Laxdal acquitted himself well in his maiden season at the Firebirds' helm.

During Monday's end-of-the-season exit interview, Laxdal was in good spirits about what the team accomplished. He lamented the frequent visits from the injury bug, but was happy with the growth he saw from the start of the year to the end.

"I look back at the growth of our young players throughout the season, which was incredible, and I think the fans were probably a little used to more of a veteran team, but that's kind of anomaly in the AHL," Laxdal said. "But if you look at the details and the structure of our game and how it went with our organizational beliefs and standards, you want to make sure your team grows in those areas and we saw that. The growth of our young kids, how hard they play, I would say this season was a success in a lot of ways."

Laxdal replaced Dan Bylsma who was named the head coach of the Seattle Kraken last spring. The Kraken did not have a successful season, and Bylsma was fired after one year.

Several veteran Firebirds have now played for both Bylsma and Laxdal, and while everyone agreed their personalities are different, Laxdal received nothing but glowing reviews. Here is what some of the players said about their first-year coach during Monday's session:

Third-year defenseman Gustav Olofsson: "It was great. Definitely different from Disco (Bylsma), but very good in every sense. And I think we had a good bridge of what our message was as an organization and how we wanted to play, how we take care of ourselves and in the community as well. It was pretty seamless, and towards the end there I think we played some of our best hockey, and I think that is part of the trust in your coach and believing in your coach and coming together as a group, so I think he was a great fit for us."

Third-year forward Luke Henman: "Every coach is different in a way, but he was great. Lax is really easy to get along with. He's very honest. You compete and you work hard and you show up to work every day, you're gonna have no problems with him. I love playing for him and I think a lot of guys did. He's really good with the young guys, and that's why a lot of them took big steps, so nothing but good things to say."

Third-year forward Ian McKinnon: "Lax was great. Everyone respected him. He was a good guy to play for. He likes a tough game, and we tried to bring that every night and I think he got the best out of us."

Coachella Valley head coach Derek Laxdal waits for his team to return to the ice to start overtime of Game 2 of the Pacific Division semifinals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, May 3, 2025.

First-year forward Brandon Biro: "He communicates a lot with you and I really enjoyed playing for him. He's an easy guy to be around, personable off of the ice, so I think when you kind of have all those things it makes for a good experience. He's a great X's and O's guy as well. He's kind of got it all going for him and he did a great job, especially with how many younger guys we had. It was obviously a bit of a transition year, and overall it was a great experience for me."

Second-year defenseman Ryan Jones: "It's tough with those first two years to kind of fill those shoes. I think he did a really good job with everything and it can be tough with a younger team. Right from camp, getting them ready and accustomed to the systems we run. He was on it."

So Laxdal will enjoy a little time off, no doubt with some fishing involved, before jumping back into preparation for the 2025-26 season. He's in a bit of limbo because the Kraken have not filled their coaching position, which has been empty since April 21.

Part of an AHL coach's job is to play a style that conforms to the NHL club's style so that when players get called up, they are able to hit the ice running. He said those conversations will happen once a hire is made, but it's likely that Firebirds fans will hardly notice a difference.

"What'll happen is once Seattle hires a coach, we'll sit down and have some meetings with that person and their staff and see what style of play they're going to play, and we'll integrate that into our style," Laxdal said. "But it's not usually that much of a change. Systems are a little bit different so we'll conform to what they're doing up there, and we'll have those conversations, but at the end of the day everybody plays pretty well the same way."

Coachella Valley head coach Derek Laxdal speaks during a media conference after their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

Laxdal said being in the Coachella Valley has exceeded his expectations.

"I've been very lucky to have coached in some great spots. Boise, Idaho was a beautiful city with a great fan base. Austin, Texas great city, great fan base, but I will say this is probably the best spot that I've been a part of," Laxdal said. "Coming in, I had never been to the Palm Springs area in my life and just to see how friendly the people were, everybody opened up their arms to us, and if you needed something they were willing to help out and just give support.

"And the fans and their excitement, the way they're dancing and singing during the timeouts, and the building, it's all part of it. This is probably the best spot I've been a part of, and hopefully I can make it a long career here," he said.

Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Have a question about the Firebirds? Reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal draws rave reviews from players for navigating difficult year