Kraken AHL affiliate dubbed the Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Seattle Kraken’s American Hockey League affiliate got a name on Friday morning: The Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The name really embodies the spirit of one of the hottest towns in the country. As an added bonus, the firebird has a pretty rad and slightly terrifying mythology behind it. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say on the subject:

“In Slavic mythology and folklore, the Firebird is a magical and prophetic glowing or burning bird from a faraway land which is both a blessing and a harbinger of doom to its captor.”

The name was teased last week with a slick 15-second version of the above video shared by the arena and the Kraken. The Firebird name already appears to be prime fodder for sweet visuals and promotions.

The Firebirds don’t officially hit the ice until next season, as their arena is still under construction. The Kraken’s minor league players will hang with the Charlotte Checkers this year instead. You can check out the progress on the arena on their website, which even includes a live feed of the construction process.

So the next time you’re in the Palm Springs area (well, so long as that’s at least 12 months out or so) be sure to cool off in a brand new ice rink while watching the future of the Seattle Kraken developing into NHL players.