Firebirds are in overdrive
Who are these guys? Not appearing on many if any forecast lists as a high end contender ahead of the current ’25-26 Ontario Hockey League season — we projected them to finish fifth among the 10 teams of the Western Conference — the Flint Firebirds are nonetheless accelerating in the fast lane.
The Firebirds were doing just fine at the 15 game mark of the ’25-26 regular season with an above .500 record of 8-6-1 — before an unforeseen and improbable run that produced 11 straight wins. It finally took a shootout loss to the Sarnia Sting to end the lusty 11 game winning streak.
Thus, at the 27 game mark of the regular season slate, Flint’s record of 19-6-2 was good for the best winning percentage — .741 — among the 10 teams of the Western Conference, just ahead of the Windsor Spitfires.
This is the third season in Flint under a realigned hockey department, from general manager to coaches. And the restructure seems to be working rather well.
The Firebirds have gone from a 30-33-5 record in ’23-24 to a parallel mark of 29-34-5 in ’24-25 to contender status that far in ’25-26. And they just may be looking ahead at a playoff run for next spring after exiting in the first two rounds of the post season in each of the previous two years.
HOCKEY OPERATIONS
Carefully constructed by general manager Dave McParlan with assistance from Flint’s long time, hard working, Sault Ste. Marie based head scout Mike Oliverio, the Firebirds are also well instructed and prepared by head coach Paul Flache and top assistants Reijo Ruotsalainen and Justin Solcz.
In his third season at the helm as the GM in Flint, McParlan has 20 years of OHL experience to his name, including four prior seasons in Flint as the chief scout and then assistant GM of the Firebirds.
Also in his third season with the Firebirds, the 43 year old Flache recently became the winningest coach in Flint’s OHL history with 78 regular season victories. Flache, a former OHL defenseman of more than 200 games – playoffs included — who played under the defensive minded Stan Butler in Brampton, is one of the more low key, under rated, yet effective coaches in the league.
His lede assistants are no slouch, either.
Ruotsalainen, who is also in his third season in Flint, is a retired National Hockey League defenseman of more than 500 games. Now 65 years old, Routsalainen won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in 1987 and 1990 and a silver medal for Finland in the 1988 Winder Olympics. Following his NHL playing days, Ruotsalainen continued to suit up, totalling eight more seasons of pro hockey in his native Finland and in Switzerland. As a coach — prior to being hired by Flint — Ruotsalainen brought 14 years of professional coaching experience to the Firebirds staff, with stops in the East Coast Hockey League, Finland, Austria and Germany.
Over to Solcz, the Windsor native is in his first season as an assistant in Flint after a lengthy apprenticeship in a number of Windsor-Essex County locations. Solcz has had decision making coaching and management associations of note with the St. Clair College Saints, University of Windsor Lancers, Lakeshore Canadiens of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League and the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Hockey League.
PRODUCTIVE PLAYERS
Flint has been getting high end performances from key players at the goalie, defence and forward positions.
Overage goalie Mason Vaccari has found new life with the Firebirds after being obtained in an off season trade with the Kingston Frontenacs and is among the top leaders in wins in the entire OHL.
On the blue line, there is high scoring overage (2005 birth year) defender Urban Podrekar and a troika of 2007 birth date dependable dudes from the 2023 OHL priority selections draft including Dryden Allen (second round), Luka Graziano(third round) and Rylan Fellinger (13th round.) Fellinger, who is originally from Wawa and moved to Sault Ste. Marie to play at the AAA minor hockey level, was a 2025 NHL draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
And leading the way up front are NHL draft picks Nathan Aspinall (New York Rangers) and Jimmy Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings) as well as former Soo Greyhound third rounder Alex Kostov.