Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
“Prove us wrong!”
NHL teams often give their young players that message near the end of training camp, when it’s time to get those prospects further AHL experience.
Three Coachella Valley Firebirds prospects put those words into action as the AHL opened its 91st season this past weekend.
Start ahead Janie Nymanwho already has five goals in his first two games. Nyman was chosen as the Howies Hockey Ribbon/AHL Player of the Week After a dominating performance in the home-and-home series with the Ontario Reign. His two-goal night, along with an assist, started his season last Friday night in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Reign. Two goals and an empty net gave him his first AHL hat trick a night later in the second leg at Toyota Arena in a 6-2 win. Jager Firkus Scored two goals and one assist while defending Tyson Jugnaut Had four assists in Saturday’s win, giving both six points on the weekend.
After taking on the San Diego Wolves at home on Friday night, the Firebirds will see the Rays once again on Sunday at Acrisure Arena.
Jason Botterill took over as executive vice president and general manager of Seattle in April 2025, and the Coachella Valley is an important part of his mandate. Botterill held leadership roles with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, two organizations that have long relied heavily on AHL development. So while Nyman played 28 games for the Kraken last season, they decided to send him to Coachella Valley for further development this fall.
The Krakens are taking the same patient approach with most of their other prospects as well. Jugnaut’s 45-point effort last season helped earn him a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team; A 2022 fourth-round pick who was scheduled to play his senior year in the Western Hockey League in 2024-25, the 22-year-old Jugnaut has established himself as a top prospect in Seattle’s system. And for Firkus, who went to Seattle with the No. 35 pick in the same 2022 class, he continues to push toward a full-time role. Kraken management knew Firkus could play, and he finished his Western Hockey League career in 2023-24 with a 61-goal season. Firkus and Jugnauth both represented the Firebirds in the AHL All-Star Classic last February, with Firkus finishing second in scoring with 56 points. Logan Morrison on the Coachella Valley roster.
So that’s the Coachella Valley prospect list. And youthful. There it is Nike Coco–Victor Ostman goalkeeper tandem. Features of the blue line Alexis Bernier, Lukas Dragicevich and: Ty Nelson among its promising talents. in front Edward Shale Is a 2023 first-round pick heading into his third AHL season. Oskar Fisker Molgaard won in the second round in 2023. Julius Mietinen and: Nathan VilleneuveIn the second round of 2024, each begins his professional career with the Firebirds. Jake O’BrienThe eighth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft made the Firebirds’ postseason appearance last spring.
Seattle is making a push to compete in the Western Conference this season. Since entering the NHL as an expansion team for the 2021-22 season, the Krakens have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in four of their first five campaigns, and Lane Lambert is their third head coach.
But Kraken also emphasizes stocking draft picks and developing those picks with Firebirds. Defender Will Ottawainen spent three seasons with the Firebirds before earning a spot on Seattle’s roster out of training camp. Joey Dockard Led the Firebirds to overtime in Game 7 in the 2023 Calder Cup Finals and was Seattle’s first in net. Defender Rich Evans came through the Coachella Valley as a home option, while Cale FleuryAfter joining the Seattle organization, his career was revived at the AHL level. Attackers Ryan Winterton and: Shane Wright Two more Seattle development successes.
“Now we have three assistant coaches in our staff (Pascal Vincent, Chris Taylor and: Aaron Snow) who have all been AHL head coaches.” Botterill said during a recent Kraken Hockey Network broadcast. “They have a history of focusing on development, and it shows in practice every day.”
With more than two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was awarded the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league in 2015-16.
