The Coachella Valley Firebirds were the youngest team in the American Hockey League during the 2025-26 season and still managed to advance to the third round of the Calder Cup Playoffs and the Pacific Division finals.
Just a few days after the season ended for the Firebirds, players were already talking about how good this team could be next season.
“The young guys are hungry to make a name for themselves,” defenseman Gustav Olofsson said. “A ton of skill up front, too, with our forward group and the d-core, too, took a lot of steps and we know we’ve got great goaltenders. I think just a well-rounded team and guys ready to take the next step.”
There are a few free agents this summer and then there are others who could play with the Firebirds’ NHL affiliate, the Seattle Kraken. But the prevailing opinion among most players is that the Firebirds’ roster will feature a lot of familiar faces and that the group will collectively benefit from this season’s playoff run.
“It should be exciting times,” forward Mitchell Stephens said. “I think the fans should be excited.”
Based on current contracts and what we saw this year, here’s an early look at how Coachella Valley’s 2026-27 roster could look:
Forwards
Captain John Hayden (13 goals, 11 assists) is under contract for one more season and expected to return. That’s a huge win for the Firebirds. Unfortunately, Stephens (12 goals, 15 assists) is an unrestricted free agent, though he expressed a desire to return in his exit interview. Veteran Cooper Marody is also an unrestricted free agent.
Jagger Firkus (21 goals, 35 assists), Jani Nyman (21 goals, 12 assists) and Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (seven postseason goals) are also under contract. Any one of them could start the season with the Kraken, though Mølgaard, 21, figures to be the most likely. He was exceptional during the playoffs and played in Seattle’s final 13 games this season.
Ian McKinnon, Eduard Sale, Carson Rehkopf, David Goyette and Andrei Loshko are all under contract for 2026-27.
If they do not make the Kraken roster, rookies Jake O’Brien, Nathan Villeneuve and Julius Miettinen will join the Firebirds with a hefty amount of anticipation. O’Brien, 19, was the eighth overall selection in the 2025 NHL entry draft, and Villenevue, 20, wand Miettinen, 20, were selected in the second round in 2024. O’Brien and Villenevue are from Canada and Miettinen is from Finland.
Jacob Melanson, J.R. Avon, Lleyton Roed and Logan Morrison are all restricted free agents, meaning that they could be retained. The belief here is that at least two or three of them will be.
Melanson figures to start the season with the Kraken, where he played 36 games last season. Avon was the Firebirds’ postseason hero, scoring the series-clinching overtime goal to beat the Ontario Reign and tying for the team lead with seven playoffs goals. Morrison led the team with 61 regular season points (29 goals, 32 assists) and Roed was fourth on the team with 38 regular season points (11 goals, 27 assists).
Defensemen
Olofsson, who has played for the Firebirds for each of the team’s first four seasons, is an unrestricted free agent. He said that his desire is to return, and Coachella Valley would benefit from his presence.
Tyson Jugnauth, an all-rookie team honoree, remains under contract, as does 22-year-old Ty Nelson and 21-year-olds Kaden Hammell, Caden Price and Lukas Dragicevic. Ville Ottavainen, 23, is a restricted free agent.
Incoming rookie Alexis Bernier, who’ll turn 20 before the start of the season, is expected to join the Firebirds.
Goaltenders
Nikke Kokko remains under contract and is expected to return. The 22-year-old from Finland recorded a pair of shutouts during the postseason, with a 2.6 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
Victor Ostman, 25, was also phenomenal this season in the net. During the regular season, Ostman recorded a GGA of 2.81 and a SV% of .906. Ostman is a restricted free agent.
Finnish goalie Kim Saarinen, who’ll turn 20 before the start of the season, was drafted in the third round of the 2024 NHL entry draft and could also be an option in the net for the Firebirds this season.
Andrew John covers the Firebirds for The Desert Sun and USA TODAY. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What will the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ lineup look like in 2026-27?
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
