
Written by Judd Spicer
The eyes of the AHL will again descend upon Palm Desert with the arrival of this year’s All-Star Classic. Spread across February 2-3, 2025, a collection of the league’s biggest and budding stars authors another palpable chapter in the brief history of the ‘Birds and Acrisure Arena.
Selecting the desert as All-Star venue was a decision which saw no waffle from league leadership. Referring to Acrisure as “one if the jewels of our league,” AHL President and CEO Scott Howson is eager to let the valley shine amid the national spotlight.
“I’d describe our enthusiasm as 10 out of 10,” Howson says. “Everybody I’ve talked to is very excited to get out there, and our staff has that little extra kick in their step for heading back out to the Coachella Valley. Much of our staff, of course, has been out there for the two Calder Cup Finals, so now we get to go out in January, which is a big thrill for all of us.”
Said thrills serve as an extension of the ‘Birds’ instant impact upon the hockey world.
“The Firebirds have been such a huge success story; and not only for the Coachella Valley, but for the entire AHL,” Howson adds. “So, we saw the All-Star Classic as a great fit and a chance for the great fans of the valley to see something a little different, with the brightest and the best that the league has to offer.”
All-Star Primer
IN CONCERT WITH THE LEAGUE’s annual Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, the dual-day gathering is highlighted by the Skills Competition event on Sunday, Feb. 2 (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.), followed by the All-Star Challenge on Monday the 3rd (6:00 – 9:00 p.m.).
For those not desert present, the events will be broadcast live on NHL Network in the states, and on TSN in Canada.
Per the former evening, the Skills Competition is comprised of seven events: Puck Control Relay, Fastest Skater, Rapid Fire, Hardest Shot, Ice Accuracy Shooting, Pass/Score and the Breakaway Relay.
“It’s a very fun night,” says Howson of the Skills Competition. “The glass is down on the sides, the fans get very engaged and get to see the players up close.”
Such proximity to the all-stars offers ample across the night, though a few events find particular exclamation.
“The Puck Control Relay is really fun; whether in the NHL or the AHL, there’s invariably a moment where somebody fumbles the puck, because they’re all trying to go so quickly,” Howson enthuses. “And the Breakaway Relay capper has the big fluctuation at the end of the night, with everybody taking a penalty shot, and doing so at a bit higher speed than you’d see in a regular season shootout.”
The Fastest Skater competition also proves an annual event-topper, with former Hershey Bear Ethen Frank setting a record mark of 12.915 seconds around the ice back in ’23; last year, Frank defending the title with a time of 13.032.
Skating center stage in Skills events provides players a unique spotlight.
“It really does give the players a chance to showcase what they do best,” says Howson. “I remember Martin Frk setting the mark in the Hardest Shot back in 2020 (109.2 mph), and I think Ethen Frank also stands out with those Fastest Skater wins; these events give the players a great platform to get their name on the map. And, low and behold, Frank is up with the Capitals right now and doing very well.”
Come Monday night’s festivities, the All-Star Challenge skates with both motivation and celerity. Oriented as a round-robin tournament among the league’s four divisions, 3-on-3 play makes for active ice across six 10-minute games. The top two teams/divisions advance to a 6-minute championship game.
The Firebirds will be represented in the event by standout defenseman Cale Fleury. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, the 26-year-old Fleury is in his sixth AHL season (second with CV) and will be making his debut appearance in the event. With 16 points in 25 games for the ‘Birds, the autumn also saw Fleury appear in a pair of games for the Seattle Kraken; this year (to-date), his Coachella Valley campaign found highlight and headlines with a natural hat trick in the ‘Birds’ 6-5 win over San Diego on October 18. The accomplishment marked the first trifecta by a defenseman in Firebirds’ history and further represented the first time in the AHL that a defenseman recorded three scores in one period since the spring of 2011.
Fleury’s All-Star nod is the fourth in ‘Birds’ history, following the respective selections of captain Max McCormick (2023, 2024) and Ryker Evans (2023). Preceding the All-Star Challenge night, rumors around Acrisure suggest that Fleury will participate in the Hardest Shot competition the evening previous.
Among other familiar faces in the event, former Firebirds’ alternate captain Andrew Poturalski will represent the Pacific Division as a member of the San Jose Barracuda.
While myriad all-star games play with all the intensity and flow of melting ice, the AHL’s product has earned a deserved reputation for hungry players seeking to leave the experience with hardware in-tow.
“I can tell you that our (All-Star) game is as competitive as any All-Star game, or series of games, as you’ll see,” Howson concludes. “The players care, they put their best foot forward and they want to win – and that all makes for great entertainment.”