The Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, have added to their coaching and hockey operations department ahead of their inaugural season. Among the names announced today is former NHL defenseman (and sometimes forward) Stu Bickel, who has been brought in as an assistant coach under Dan Bylsma.
Bickel, 35, is an interesting coaching prospect. After the end of a long playing career that included 94 games at the NHL level, he joined his alma mater at the University of Minnesota as an assistant. In 2020-21, he took over as head coach of the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL, and took them to the third round of the playoffs. Last season he was an assistant with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, who went to the Calder Cup Final – ultimately losing to the Chicago Wolves.
It’s a quick rise for a long-time AHL tough guy, the kind that will likely soon get the attention of NHL benches. Bickel played 310 regular season games in the AHL, racking up 919 penalty minutes in the process. Given that he also served as an assistant general manager with the Magicians during his short stint, he’ll be a coaching name to follow as he progresses through the AHL this season.