Oh baby! During hockey playoffs, Firebirds' captain and teammate await births of newborns
While the Coachella Valley Firebirds remain invested in making a postseason push to return to the AHL Calder Cup Finals, two veteran leaders are doing it while also anticipating a big moment in their personal lives.
Captain Max McCormick and alternate captain Andrew Poturalski are both expecting the imminent arrival of children with their wives. Poturalski’s wife, Haley, is due May 15. McCormick’s wife, Alexis, is due June 7.
That means both players, key performers on the Firebirds' top line, could miss time during the Firebirds’ postseason run, which continues Wednesday in Game 1 of the Pacific Division finals against the Ontario Reign at Acrisure Arena.
“Super excited,” Poturalski said. “It’s something really cool on top of what’s happening with our playoff run.”
This will be the Poturalskis' second child. They also have a 2-year-old son. It will be the McCormicks' first. Poturalski and McCormick said that they plan to be with their wives for the birth of their children.
While professional athletes missing time during the postseason is nothing new, it's something the Firebirds have not yet experienced since entering the American Hockey League in 2022.
Both players have said that the birth of their children has been on their minds as they navigate through the Calder Cup Playoffs. While they’ve discussed some logistics with their wives, they both say that how it all plays out is largely out of their control.
“We’ve talked about it,” McCormick said. “Hopefully, I’m home and not on the East Coast or somewhere too far away. We just said we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
That the Firebirds will not be traveling far for their series against the Reign should add some comfort for all involved. Game 2 is scheduled for Friday inside Acrisure Arena, with Game 3 at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Sunday.
There’s then five days off before a potential Game 4, which wouldn’t be until May 24 in Ontario. Game 5, if necessary, would be May 26 back in the Coachella Valley.
Troy Bodie, the Firebirds’ director of hockey operations, said that the organization wholeheartedly supports the players at this time, which includes any games they might miss.
“It’s definitely in the back of their minds, if not the front of their minds,” said Bodie, a former NHL and AHL player. “Family first, you know. When my wife was pregnant, it was all I could think about.”
The two players each said that they ideally won’t have to miss any games but are confident in the deep talent and depth of the Firebirds should that happen.
Poturalski said that he and his wife are simply staying patient and ready for whatever might happen in the days ahead.
“I told her, ‘Just make sure it’s not between 7 and 10 o’clock,’” Poturalski said with a smile, “and we’ll make it work.”
Andrew John covers the Firebirds for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: AHL: Firebirds' Poturalski and McCormick await births of children
