When Derek Laxdal signed on as the new head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2024 — only the second coach in the franchise’s history — it was the hiring equivalent of winning a Stanley Cup.
Laxdal grew up in Canada, where hockey is a national pastime. “Everybody there wants their kids to try playing hockey and enjoy it,” he says. He comes to the desert with decades of experience as both a professional right winger for numerous teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, and head coach for the Edmonton Oil Kings, among other teams.
Find more information and tickets at cvfirebirds.com.
When you got the call about becoming the Firebirds coach, what was your reaction?
I was very excited. … I knew the Firebirds was an up-and-coming organization and had a lot of veteran players, and last year we had seven rookies. This year we’re going to have a lot more young players … so I’m even more excited.
What is your coaching philosophy?
Players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I think it’s very important to build relationships with your players and earn their trust. I create a family culture. Once you have that humanization, it’s a better place to teach, learn, and make it more fun.
How do you boost the team’s morale before games?
It depends. When you have a veteran team, you make practices shorter to conserve their energy for the games. When you have a younger team and a group full of prospects, you really have to do a lot of on-ice development. … You have to go in there and get them mentally prepared. You must deliver a good, positive message that will get them in the right frame of mind to compete.
What have you enjoyed most about the desert?
It’s nice to get up in the morning and see the blue sky and then come home at night and still see a blue sky. It’s a vibrant community, and there’s golf and tennis and Stagecoach and Coachella. We enjoy shopping at El Paseo, but the thing we enjoy most is all the great Mexican restaurants.
How would you describe your first year here?
Everything I heard about the Coachella Valley, team, and fan support was true. It’s probably one of the best experiences of my life.
For anyone who hasn’t yet attended a Firebirds game, why should they consider doing so?
I think anybody who is not a hockey fan and goes to a game will walk away a hockey fan. I think they’ll fall in love not only with the players but with the team. The energy these players put out is incredible. I think it’s something the valley has definitely embraced.
