GAME TIME: Volume 8, Issue 3 (Nov. 12)

Find your way back to you.

Dignity Health is here to champion your comeback. To overcome your setback. And, most importantly, to welcome you back to the things you love. Don’t just watch from the sidelines. Enjoy everything life has to offer without joint pain. Mercy & Memorial Hospitals provide a variety of treatment options—including nonsurgical therapies and robotic-assisted minimally invasive joint replacement—so you can come back sooner and stronger. What will your comeback story be? Learn more at dignityhealth.org/bakersfield/ortho

BROADCAST INFORMATION

RADIO

All Condors games are available on the official radio home of the Condors, Fox Sports AM800. Broadcasts begin with Condors Countdown, 15 minutes prior to puck drop.

ONLINE RADIO

All Condors games are available through the iHeartRadio App (Fox Sports AM800), driven by Three-Way Chevrolet. The app is available on all phones and tablets. Broad casts begin with Condors Countdown, 15 minutes prior to puck drop.

FEATURE STORY

BOURGAULT FIGURING IT OUT

ryan Holt | bakersfield condors It’s not easy going from junior hockey, where you’re one of the oldest in the group, to the American Hockey League as a freshly turned 20-year old. It’s even more difficult when the last two seasons have had COVID postponements, rescheduling, and extended, shortening the possible time window to get ready for your rookie season.

But, Edmonton Oilers 2020 first rounder Xavier Bourgault has taken it all in stride, having just celebrated his 20th birthday in Bakersfield, and venturing out in to what promises to be a fruitful professional career.

Through nine games, the offensively-gifted Bourgault has six points (3g-3a), is second on the team with 22 shots, and has scored shorthanded twice.

“Making the jump to the AHL, everyone is bigger, faster, stronger,” Bourgault said. “You can’t take a shift off and you have to play at both ends of the ice.”

One of those early impacts for Bourgault has been on the penalty kill, a tool he hopes to sharpen while in

FEATURE STORY

Bakersfield to add another element to his growing game.

“I have offensive instincts for the power play, but I wanted to play on the penalty kill here, to learn that side,” he said. “I want to be a well-rounded player.”

Those early lessons came in the form of two shorthanded goals to start the season, showing that the penalty kill can be an effective offensive weapon for the Condors, who have three total on the year already.

“What we saw from Bourgy was confidence after he scored his first one,” head coach Colin Chaulk said. “It gave him the confidence to play against men. He’s learning that not every shift needs to be a threat. He can battle every shift and be effective that way.”

Bourgault is one of a handful of rookies who have already had flashes in the opening nine games. Carter Savoie scored twice last weekend in Henderson, Noah Philp scored twice in back-to-back games, and Ty Tullio has three points through eight games.

With a veteran-laden group leading the way, the young talent on the Condors roster, developing every week, will only pay dividends down the road.

2022-23 AHL TEAM MAP

Bridgeport Islanders

661 .852.7400 Youth and Adult Hockey Bakersfield’s Home For Ice Spor ts And Fun!

www.vcicecenter.com

Bakersfield Condors

Arena: mechanics bank Arena

Capacity: 8,751

NHL Affiliate: Edmonton Oilers

Head Coach: colin chaulk

Arena: ABBOTSFORD CENTRE Capacity: 7,046

NHL Affiliate: VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Head Coach: Jeremy Colliton

coachella valley

Arena: Vacrisure arena Capacity: 11,000

NHL Affiliate: seattle kracken Head Coach: dan bylsma

NHL

San Diego Gulls

Arena: PECHANGA ARENA SAN DIEGO Capacity: 12,920

NHL Affiliate: Anaheim Ducks

Head Coach: Roy Sommer

calgary wranglers

Arena: scotiabank saddledome Capacity: 19,289

NHL Affiliate: Calgary Flames Head Coach: mitch love

Colorado Eagles

Arena: Budweiser Events Center

Capacity: 5,289

NHL Affiliate: Colorado Avalanche Head Coach: Greg Cronin

Ontario Reign

Arena: toyota arena Capacity: 9,491

NHL Affiliate: Los Angeles Kings

Head Coach: marco sturm

San Jose Barracuda

Arena: Tech cu Arena Capacity: 4,200

NHL Affiliate: San Jose Sharks

Head Coach: John McCarthy

texas stars

Arena: h-e-b center at cedar park Capacity: 8,000

NHL Affiliate: Dallas Stars

POSITION: CENTER

SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 5’10” WEIGHT: 183 DOB: 10-18-1993

HOMETOWN: ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

LUKE ESPOSITO

POSITION: LEFT WING SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 5’9” WEIGHT: 180 DOB: 04-27-1999

HOMETOWN: EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CAN

JAMES HAMBLIN

POSITION:

HOMETOWN: CANMORE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CAN

POSITION: RIGHT WING SHOOTS: RIGHT

HEIGHT: 6’0” WEIGHT: 172 DOB: 10-22-2002

HOMETOWN: L’ISLET, QUEBEC, CAN

XAVIER BOURGAULT

POSITION: CENTER SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’0” WEIGHT: 194 DOB: 06-17-1992

HOMETOWN: ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO, CAN

GREG McKEGG

POSITION:

HOMETOWN: WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CAN

POSITION: LEFT WING SHOOTS: LEFT HEIGHT: 5’10” WEIGHT: 193 DOB: 01-23-2002

CARTER SAVOIE

POSITION: RIGHT WING SHOOTS: RIGHT

HEIGHT: 6’4” WEIGHT: 215 DOB: 07-01-1995

HOMETOWN: BUFFALO, NEW YORK, USA

JUSTIN BAILEY

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 195 DOB: 06-09-1998

HOMETOWN: DORVAL, QUEBEC, CAN

JASON DEMERS

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6’5” WEIGHT: 215

DOB: 01-13-2000

HOMETOWN: MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA

MICHAEL KESSELRING

POSITION: CENTER SHOOTS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6’4” WEIGHT: 210 DOB: 09-24-2000

HOMETOWN: CHAMBLY, QUEBEC, CAN

RAPHAEL LAVOIE

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’3” WEIGHT: 203 DOB: 06-25-2001

HOMETOWN: OREBRO, SWEDEN

PHILIP BROBERG

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: RIGHT

HEIGHT: 6’6” WEIGHT: 215 DOB: 05-29-1996

HOMETOWN: LAVAL QUEBEC, CAN

VINCENT DESHARNAIS

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: LEFT HEIGHT: 5’11” WEIGHT: 187 DOB: 09-30-1995

YANNI KALDIS

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’4” WEIGHT: 220 DOB: 07-02-1996

HOMETOWN: BLYTH, ONTARIO, CAN

POSITION: DEFENSEMAN SHOOTS: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’3” WEIGHT: 191

DOB: 03-18-1999

HOMETOWN: HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CAN

DARIEN KIELB

POSITION: GOALIE

CATCHES: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 175

DOB: 07-06-2000

HOMETOWN: CHICOUTIMI, QUEBEC, CAN

OLIVIER RODRIGUE

POSITION: GOALIE CATCHES: LEFT

HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 210 DOB: 04-15-1992

HOMETOWN: MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CAN

CALVIN PICKARD

POSITION: MASCOT DRUMS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 198 DOB: 10/23/1998

HOMETOWN: BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, CA

COLONEL CLAW’D

MATTHEW RILEY Team President

Riley is responsible for the growth and development of KG (US) Oilers Corp. and the Bakersfield Condors, the organization he has guided since its inception in 1998. Riley serves on the AHL’s Board of Governors, and various league committees. He was previously the vice chairman for the ECHL Board of Governors, and served on the league’s Executive Committee.

He was instrumental in negotiations in the January 2014 purchase of the Condors by the Edmonton Oilers and the team’s elevation to the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2015-16. Now in their seventh AHL season,

Riley joined the organization late in 1997, when they were known as the Bakersfield Fog, to execute the transition from the Bakersfield Convention Center to Bakersfield Centennial Garden (now known as Mechanics Bank Arena). With a new name and a new arena in 1998, the Condors were named the West Coast Hockey League Organization of the Year.

The Keokuk, Iowa, native previously served as the Executive Director of the Mobile (AL) BayBears Baseball Club, the class-AA Southern League affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and was integral in the construction of Hank Aaron Stadium. Riley is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in communications. He earned a master’s degree in sport management from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama.

KEITH GRETZKY General Manager

Keith Gretzky serves as the Condors General Manager and is an assistant general manager with the Edmonton Oilers, joining the organization in 2016. He previously worked as the director of amateur scouting for two NHL organizations in Boston (2013-16) and Phoenix (2007-11) in addition to being a scout for both franchises. Behind the bench, he was a head coach for the Asheville Smoke of the United Hockey League (UHL) from 1998-00 and the then Bakersfield Fog of the WCHL from 1995-98.

As a player, Gretzky played parts of five seasons in the International Hockey League (IHL) with Flint, Phoenix, and San Diego in addition to two seasons in the AHL with Rochester.

COACHING STAFF

COLIN CHAULK

HEAD COACH

Colin Chaulk, 45, was named head coach on June 27, 2022. Chaulk, who became interim head coach on February 11, 2022, is the third head coach in the team’s American Hockey League history and ninth overall in the organization’s 25 seasons.

It is Chaulk’s first head coaching appointment in the AHL. He previously served as head coach in the ECHL for four seasons with Brampton and was an assistant with Belleville (AHL), Kalamazoo (ECHL), and Fort Wayne (ECHL). As a player, Chaulk played professionally for 15 seasons including a decade with the Fort Wayne Komets where his number 91 is retired. He won five league championships with the Komets and is third all-time in the organization’s 70+ year history in scoring

KEITH McCAMBRIDGE

ASSISTANT COACH

McCambridge, 48, brings a decade of American Hockey League coaching experience as both a head coach and assistant. He served as head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack from 2017-19, and with the Winnipeg Jets top AHL team in St. John’s and Manitoba from 2011-2016. His time in St. John’s included a trip to the Calder Cup Finals in 2014 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012.

As a player, McCambridge played 11 seasons as a d-man in the AHL, IHL, and ECHL. He finished his playing career with the Alaska Aces (ECHL) and made the move behind the bench.

JOSH GREEN

ASSISTANT COACH

Green, 44, joins Bakersfield from the Winnipeg ICE of the WHL where he was an assistant coach since 2019. With the ICE, Green helped in the development of 2022 9th overall pick Matthew Savoie, 11th overall pick Conor Geekie, and third round pick Mikey Milne.

The Camrose, Alberta native enjoyed a 20-year playing career which included 341 NHL games with eight organizations. He played parts of three seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and finished his AHL career playing two seasons with the Oilers AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City. He was drafted in the 2nd round (30th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in 1996.

SYLVAIN RODRIGUE

GOALTENDING COACH

Sylvain Rodrigue began working on a full-time basis with Condors goaltenders in 2018-19, but has been with the Oilers organization for the past nine seasons.

In 2020-21 under his guidance, Stuart Skinner made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers and led the AHL in victories with 20.

He helped develop rookie goaltender Shane Starrett, who was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in February and received All-Rookie and Second All-Star Team selections from the AHL in 2018-19.

KRIS HORN

VIDEO COORDINATOR

Kris Horn joined the Condors prior to the 2022-23 season from Army West Point where he had been the director of hockey operations since 2018. He was previously an assistant coach at SUNY-Brockport (16-18), a volunteer assistant coach at Union College (15-16), and an assistant coach at Hamilton College (14-15). Horn graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Michigan State University in 2008 and holds a Master’s degree from Brockport with a concentration in athletic administration.

“One step away from the NHL” has certainly applied to Condorstown over the past seven seasons. Now in year eight, who will be the next names to be added to list of players to graduate to the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers?

2015-16

Brossoit, Laurent (G)

Draisaitl, Leon* (LW)

Fayne, Mark (D)

Gazdic, Luke (LW)

Hunt, Brad (D) Kassian, Zack (RW)

Khaira, Jujhar *(C) Klinkhammer, Rob (LW)

Miller, Andrew (RW)

Nikitin, Nikita (D) Nilsson, Anders (G) Nurse, Darnell* (D) Oesterle, Jordan (D) Pakarinen, Iiro (RW) Reinhart, Griffin (D) Scrivens, Ben (G) Slepyshev, Anton (LW)

2019-20

Benson, Tyler* (RW) Cave, Colby (C) Lagesson, William* (D)

2016-17

Beck, Taylor (RW)

Benning, Matt* (D) Brossoit, Laurent (G) Fayne, Mark (D) Gustavsson, Jonas (G) Khaira, Jujhar (C) Lander, Anton (C) Oesterle, Jordan (D) Pakarinen, Iiro (RW) Puljujarvi, Jesse* (RW) Reinhart, Griffin (D) Simpson, Dillon* (D) Slepyshev, Anton (LW)

2017-18

Bear, Ethan* (D)

Brossoit, Laurent (G) Lowe, Keegan (D) Malone, Brad (C) Pakarinen, Iiro (RW) Puljujarvi, Jesse (RW) Rattie, Ty (RW) Slepyshev, Anton (LW)

2018-19

Bouchard, Evan* (D)

Currie, Josh* (RW) Gambardella, Joe* (LW) Gravel, Kevin (D) Jones, Caleb* (D) Malone, Brad (C) Marody, Cooper* (C) Russell, Patrick* (RW) Yamamoto, Kailer* (LW)

2021

McLeod, Ryan* (C) Skinner, Stuart* (G)

2021-22

Broberg, Philip* (D) Griffith, Seth (RW) Holloway, Dylan* (LW) Malone, Brad (C) Marody, Cooper (RW) McLeod, Ryan (C) Niemelainen, Markus* (D) Samorukov, Dmitri * (D) Skinner, Stuart (G)

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SCOTT HOWSON

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fans,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022-23 American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that can be traced back to our league’s founding more than eight decades ago.

The AHL is as proud as ever of its role in developing nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today. Generations of our great fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers as they have come through the AHL.

This season is sure to be another exciting one as for the first time ever we drop the puck in 32 cities across North America, all vying to become the next Calder Cup champion.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you for your continuing support of the AHL.

Sincerely,

Scott Howson President & CEO

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American Hockey League

THE BEGINNINGS

Embarking on its 87th season of play in 2022-23, the American Hockey League is continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League joined with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, representing Buffalo, Cleveland, New

A TRADITION OF

Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of this new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars in 1937; the most

recent championship was captured by the Chicago Wolves last spring.

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 32-team, coast-to-coast league that provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands of players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, broadcasters and more for careers in the NHL.

88.2%

Percentage of all NHL players in 2021-22 who were graduates of the AHL

992

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

423

AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2021-22

Former 1st- and 2ndround NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2021-22

Condors

L. TO R.: AHL GRADUATES MORITZ SEIDER , IGOR SHESTERKIN KYLE CONNOR

Proud supporter of the Bakersfield

THE PLAYERS

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin , Calder Trophy recipient Moritz Seider and Lady Byng Trophy winner Kyle Connor. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were stocked with AHL graduates including leading scorer Mikko Rantanen , Nazem Kadri , Devon Toews and Darcy Kuemper

During the 2021-22 season, a total of 992 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 423 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and 235 former first- and secondround NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Holtz Lukas Reichel Pelletier Krebs champion and AHL Rookie of the Year

THE LEGENDS

For the past eight decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers . All-time greats like Johnny Bower, Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden, and Brett Hull came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey, and Billy Smith

THE COACHES

At the start of the 2022-23 season, the National Hockey League featured 22 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including including Jared Bednar of the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.

Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Washington’s Peter Laviolette, Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan, Nashville’s John Hynes, Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, Vancouver’s Bruce Boudreau, Minnesota’s Dean Evason and Edmonton’s Jay Woodcroft are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey League before making the jump.

JARED