As he has eagerly done dozens of times since first donning a Flint Firebirds uniform in the fall of 2023, Jimmy Lombardi burst onto the Dort Financial Center ice during player introductions prior to this season’s first home game on Sept. 26.
Buoyed by being named the Ontario Hockey League franchise’s newest captain 12 days earlier, the Los Angeles Kings draft pick thrust his stick in the air while skating between pyrotechnic bursts of flame before taking his place alongside his teammates.
“During the last four years, I’ve loved playing in front of the amazing fans and feel our home games offer a great atmosphere for hockey,” said Lombardi, who has established himself as one of the OHL’s most dangerous offensive weapons. “Dort Financial is one of the loudest places I’ve ever played, which is awesome for us. I think the fans in this area really appreciate our hard-nosed, blue-collar style of hockey that’s also exciting to watch.”
In their 11th season, the Firebirds are more popular than ever. Average home attendance reached an all-time high of 3,223 last season, including six games that drew more than 4,000.
In their 11th season, the Firebirds are more popular than ever. Average home attendance reached an all-time high of 3,223 last season, including six games that drew more than 4,000. In fact, that’s the highest average attendance for any Flint-based hockey team since the Flint Generals of the United Hockey League averaged 3,306 fans in 1997-98.
The organization’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X accounts boast more than 100,000 combined followers.
The Firebirds provided their faithful plenty of incentive to turn out in 2025-26. They posted their best-ever record at 44-17-4-3, placed second in the OHL’s West Division by just two points and swept Owen Sound in the opening round of the playoffs before falling to the Windsor Spitfires in the Western Conference semifinals.
Flint outscored opponents by a 261-199 margin overall, which is the best goal differential in team history. The Firebirds’ Dave McParlan was named OHL General Manager of the Year.
A crowd of 3,728 took in the 2026-27 home opener against the Niagara IceDogs, which was tied 2-2 before Niagara pulled away to a 5-2 win. That left the Firebirds with a 2-1 record through three games.
Paul Flache, who became Flint’s head coach three games into the 2023-24 season, echoed Lombardi’s sentiments regarding how much the team’s supporters appreciate the squad’s style of play.
“There is no question our success played a role in the attendance last season, but, of course, fans understand we can’t win all the time, and I believe they just love our approach to the game and the way our players go at it against opponents,” said Flache, a finalist for the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year last season. “Fans are drawn to our exciting style of play and how we don’t back down. We appeal to the blue-collar mentality of this town.”
Firebirds Team President Jeremy Torrey has loved watching average attendance grow by nearly 800 fans per game since his first season in 2018-19.
“I think a big part of (the attendance growth) is the connection we’ve built with our fans and the incredible support they give us and that Dort Financial Center has become one of the loudest buildings, if not the loudest, in the OHL,” he said. “The energy and enthusiasm of our fans are the reason for that. They’re passionate and really value the sense of community that comes with being at a Firebirds game which creates a great atmosphere.”
Without Lombardi, who was returning from Kings’ training camp, the Firebirds opened this season by edging the Saginaw Spirit, 5-4, as Xavier Tessier notched his first career hat trick with three goals.
Lombardi was back when Flint traveled to Windsor and skated past the Spitfires, 4-2, before the home loss to Niagara.
“You’re always eager for the first few games of the season to measure how much the returning guys have improved and how well the new faces fit in, and I thought we played well up and down the lineup against Saginaw,” Flache said. “We did OK in Windsor against another tough team. I thought we did some things well against Niagara but ran into a hot goaltender as they grabbed the momentum.”
Turnover is inevitable at this level as players move on to higher levels and/or age out of the OHL. Departed players took 59% of last season’s points (combined goals and assists) with them. Gone are five of the Firebirds’ top six point-getters and four of their top five goal scorers.
Also gone is No. 1 goaltender Mason Vaccari, who was second in the OHL in wins with a 36-9-3 record as a starter and ninth in goals-against average (2.70).
The good news is that last season’s top goal-scorer, Lombardi, is back after finishing with 36 goals (ninth in the OHL) and 36 assists.
“It’s always difficult to lose that kind of production and a presence in net like Vaccari, but every OHL team goes through it every year, and you just have to stick with the process to hopefully sustain success and improve,” Flache said. “It takes about 10-15 games to really see where a team is, but there is great opportunity for returning guys to play bigger roles than before and for new players to step up. Our guys came into camp very focused after putting in a lot of offseason work.”
The good news is that last season’s top goal-scorer, Lombardi, is back after finishing with 36 goals (ninth in the OHL) and 36 assists. His totals included nine power-play and three short-handed goals. Lombardi added four goals and six assists in eight playoff games. He also ranked second in the OHL in faceoffs won (1,544).
“We have a great group of guys with a determined mindset of wanting to win because they have put in the work in the gym and on the ice,” said Lombardi, who has added 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-1-inch frame. “Our goals are to stay hungry and exceed what we did last season. Hopefully, we can win a division title and go further in the playoffs as we get all the pieces to fit together.”
Lombardi, who was taken by the Kings in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, picked up a goal against Windsor and an assist against Niagara, upping his career totals to 57 goals and 81 assists in 192 games with the Firebirds.
“What’s not to love about Jimmy’s game?” Flache asked. “His style is fast and relentless, making him hard to play against, especially when he’s at top speed. Jimmy’s approach to hockey is very detailed, and he combines that with a fierce competitive nature.”
Lombardi succeeded third-team All-OHL choice Nathan Aspinall, also Flint’s top point-getter last season, as captain.
“I was hoping to have the honor of being captain this season after the way other captains have helped me during my time here,” he said. “I’m excited about passing on the knowledge I’ve gained to the younger players.”
Lombardi, who signed an NHL entry-level contract with the Kings last December, contributed a goal and an assist in two games while playing for Team Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase in August.
Firebirds scoring was very balanced through the season’s first three games, with four players tied for the team lead with three points each, including Tessier and Darian Anderson, who both had three goals. James Paul and newcomer Cooper Williams both had three assists.
Tessier finished with eight points (seven goals, one assist) in 37 games and Paul with just two assists in 35 games all of last season. Both appear well on their way to more productive seasons.
Another first-year player, Martins Klaucans, had a goal and an assist through three games while winning 79% (23-of-29) of his faceoff attempts. Brady Smith also had a goal and assist.
“Xavier is a perfect example of a guy coming back bigger, stronger and with more experience who is ready to take on a bigger role,” Flache said. “He is not easy to play against, and he does important things away from the puck on the defensive end that help create his offensive opportunities.”
Anderson, a New York Rangers draft pick, is Flint’s second-leading returning scorer after netting 20 goals and 25 assists, including nine power-play goals, in 60 games last season. He was also the team’s third-leading scorer in the postseason with six goals and seven assists in eight games.
“Darian is playing with a lot of confidence and is bound to be even more productive this season,” Flache said. “He continues to do what it takes to become better.”
Another forward, Charlie Murata, is expected to increase his output after recording five goals and 13 assists in 59 games last season. In August, he helped Canada capture the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with two assists in five games.
Another forward, Charlie Murata, is expected to increase his output after recording five goals and 13 assists in 59 games last season.
Last season’s Firebirds team was the first to allow fewer than 200 goals in a season, and three of the four defensemen who played in the most games are back, including Dryden Allen. He is the only returnee who played in all 68 regular-season games last season, and he contributed offensively with three goals and 21 assists.
Rylan Fellinger, a Toronto Maple Leafs draftee, is in his fourth season with the Firebirds and played in 67 games with three goals and 13 assists. Luka Graziano finished with three goals and 21 assists in 62 games.
Anderson, Allen and Fellinger are this season’s alternate captains.
Flint’s defense was further bolstered by the addition of St. Louis Blues draft pick Nick Bogas, who spent last season with the United States National Development Program. He helped Team USA win the World Junior Summer Showcase with two goals and two assists in six games.
“Nick is an old-school defenseman who blocks shots and likes to be physical, but can also advance the puck well,” Flache said. “He also has great vision and has fit in well.”
Mason Courville, who was still 16 years old when this season began, succeeded Vaccari in goal to start the season. Through three games, he had posted a 3.35 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage.
He played for Team USA in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and finished with the tournament’s best goals-against average (2.14) and third-best save percentage (.921).
Last season, Courville made history when he stopped all 19 shots against the Erie Otters to become, at 15 years and 363 days old, the youngest OHL goalie to record a shutout since 2007. Overall, he played in 18 games last season with a 3.06 goals-against average and .893 save percentage.
“Mason had a good showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and has been working tirelessly to improve,” Flache said. “Rob (Liddell), our goaltending coach, has done a great job with Mason’s development.”
The Firebirds added significant goaltending depth with the addition of 6-foot-8 New Jersey Devils draft choice Trenten Bennett, who spent the previous two seasons in Owen Sound.
Since their inception in 2015, a total of 17 Firebirds have gone on to play in at least one NHL preseason or regular-season game, including 2021 NHL All-Rookie first-team goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, currently with the San Jose Sharks.
