赛程

OHL冰球联赛 03/29 23:00 235 London Knights vs Flint Firebirds - 查看
OHL冰球联赛 03/31 18:00 235 London Knights vs Flint Firebirds - 查看
OHL冰球联赛 04/02 23:00 235 Flint Firebirds vs London Knights - 查看
OHL冰球联赛 04/04 23:00 235 Flint Firebirds vs London Knights - 查看

结果

OHL冰球联赛 03/23 23:00 - Flint Firebirds v Sarnia Sting L 0-3
OHL冰球联赛 03/22 23:07 - Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds v Flint Firebirds L 4-2
OHL冰球联赛 03/20 23:00 - Flint Firebirds v Erie Otters L 0-5
OHL冰球联赛 03/16 23:00 - Flint Firebirds v Windsor Spitfires W 7-4
OHL冰球联赛 03/15 23:05 - Sarnia Sting v Flint Firebirds L 6-5
OHL冰球联赛 03/13 23:00 - Flint Firebirds v Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds W 4-3
OHL冰球联赛 03/10 00:00 - Flint Firebirds v Kingston Frontenacs W 2-1
OHL冰球联赛 03/09 00:00 - Kitchener Rangers v Flint Firebirds L 9-5
OHL冰球联赛 03/07 00:00 - Flint Firebirds v Saginaw Spirit W 3-2
OHL冰球联赛 03/03 00:00 - Flint Firebirds v London Knights L 3-4
OHL冰球联赛 03/02 00:00 - Flint Firebirds v Windsor Spitfires W 7-3
OHL冰球联赛 03/01 00:05 - Windsor Spitfires v Flint Firebirds W 4-5

Wikipedia - Flint Firebirds

The Flint Firebirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan. The team plays home games at the Dort Financial Center, and operates as a member of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team began play for the 2015–16 season. In September 2022, the Firebirds announced the Leamington Flyers as an affiliate.

History

The Firebirds trace their roots back to the 1990–91 season, when the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors were added as an expansion team in the OHL. Since then, the franchise has been the Detroit Junior Red Wings, the Detroit Whalers and the Plymouth Whalers. On January 14, 2015, it was announced that longtime Whalers owner Peter Karmanos had sold the team to IMS USA, Inc., with the intention to move the franchise to Flint and the Perani Arena. The purchase and relocation was approved by the OHL on February 2, 2015.

Although there was sentiment towards resurrecting the Flint Generals nickname that had been used by two past teams in the city, the OHL quickly nixed that idea because of the Oshawa Generals using that name. Likewise, a popular suggestion was the Flint Tropics, after the fictional American Basketball Association team of that name in the 2008 movie Semi-Pro. However, after various others voiced their displeasure at their team possibly being named after a comedy movie's protagonist team, and the chance of the novelty wearing off after a while, the name did not make the list of finalist choices.

The nine finalist nicknames were Firebirds, Force, Fury, Nationals, Pride, Spark Plugs, Sparks, United, and Vikings.

Coaching controversies

The Firebirds garnered international attention in November 2015 when, following an overtime victory over the Oshawa Generals, owner Rolf Nilsen fired the team's entire coaching staff for failing to adequately increase the playing time of his son, Håkon Nilsen, a Firebirds' defenseman described by one NHL player agent as "a borderline OHL player". Prior to the game against Oshawa, the entire team with the exception of Hakon Nilsen met with head coach John Gruden and his staff and were informed that the owner had insisted that his son receive more playing time, and indeed Nilsen ultimately played 17 minutes, including power-play time, in the subsequent game. However, head coach John Gruden has denied that this was the reason for his dismissal. In response to the firings, the entire team, including Håkon Nilsen, stormed into the team's front office, threw their jerseys on the floor, and quit the team in a show of solidarity with the coaching staff.

The player revolt proved to be successful, as less than 24 hours later the coaching staff was not only rehired, but given three-year contract extensions. Following a meeting with OHL commissioner David Branch, Firebirds' owner Rolf Nilsen stated publicly that he had made an "irresponsible mistake" and apologized to the players.

On February 17, 2016, Rolf Nilsen again fired head coach John Gruden and assistant coach Dave Karpa. The next day, OHL Commissioner David Branch suspended Nilsen, as well as his appointees on the management and coaching staff, from hockey operations until further notice. The league also ordered counseling be provided to players, at Nilsen's cost. Nilsen and his staff were then ordered to cooperate with a league investigation and comply with its findings. On April 6, 2016, the OHL suspended Nilsen for five years, with no requests for reinstatement to be entertained for three years. He was also fined $250,000. The league also stripped the Firebirds of their 2016 first-round draft pick. Had Nilsen attempted to get involved in hockey operations while suspended, the OHL could have forced him to sell the Firebirds. The OHL placed the Firebirds under league stewardship and appointed Joe Birch as director of operations. After the five-year suspension passed, the OHL reinstated Rolf Nilsen on April 6, 2021.[]

Recent history

The Flint Firebirds Locker Room

In May 2016, the OHL named George Burnett, former head coach and general manager of the Belleville Bulls, as the new general manager. The OHL then appointed Ryan Oulahen as head coach and Eric Wellwood as an assistant. On October 12, 2018, Ryan Oulahen stepped down as head coach. On October 18, former associate coach Eric Wellwood was named head coach.

On February 21, 2020, the Firebirds won their 15th consecutive game, setting a new franchise record. It was their 37th win of the season, another club record.