OLDS - An Olds hockey product is getting closer to the big leagues after being called up Thursday to play with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Charlie Wright, 21, has been playing with the minor professional Kansas City Mavericks for the 2024-25 season.
The premier AA hockey league team is in its third season as the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate for the NHL's Seattle Kraken and the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds.
The AHL is a professional ice hockey league based in the U.S. and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the NHL.
The Firebirds, the Seattle Kraken's AHL affiliate, recalled Wright on Dec. 12.
“This marks Wright's first call-up to the Firebirds and a well-deserved opportunity to test his skills at the AHL level,” the Mavericks said in an announcement made Thursday.
Wright skated in both pre-season games for the Firebirds on Oct. 4 and 5.
The Mavericks said the six-foot, one-inch tall, 185-pound defenceman from Olds has been a standout for the Mavericks this season.
He “has made an immediate impact in his first professional season, showcasing his poise and defensive reliability,” the Mavericks’ release said.
Through 23 games with the Mavericks, Wright has recorded three goals and nine assists for 12 points, along with a +13 rating.
“His ability to move the puck efficiently and his defensive skills have quickly made him an invaluable piece of the Mavericks' lineup, including spending time on the second power-play unit, as well as the penalty kill,” the team said.
Wright joined the Mavericks following a strong junior career with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Over 256 career WHL games, Wright notched what the Mavericks called an impressive 103 points and +43 rating, further cementing his role as a reliable two-way defenceman.
His performance last season earned him a spot on the WHL East Second All-Star Team.
