The 2025 American Hockey League All-Star Classic will feature talent that goes beyond the ice.
The annual event will be held Feb. 2-3 in Palm Desert, California at Acrisure Arena, the home of Coachella Valley (Seattle Kraken). As in past seasons, the event will feature a skills competition on Feb. 2 along with a 3-on-3 round-robin tournament among teams representing the AHL’s four divisions Feb. 3. This season will feature 12 NHL first-round picks and eight second-round picks.
Four top coaching prospects will also participate. The AHL made the selections based on the team with the best record in each division as of Dec. 31. There is a long history of top coaches who have participated in the event before going on to NHL success, including Bruce Boudreau, Bruce Cassidy, Peter Laviolette, Todd McLellan, John Tortorella, and Barry Trotz.
Here is a look at the coaches selected to represent each of the AHL’s four divisions.
Geordie Kinnear, Charlotte (Florida Panthers) -- Atlantic Division
Kinnear, a defenseman who came through the AHL as a New Jersey Devils prospect and won the 1995 Calder Cup, is in his eighth season as coach of Florida’s AHL affiliate. Before coming to the Florida organization, he had long stints as an AHL assistant coach for the Devils and Carolina Hurricanes. In all, Kinnear, 51, is in his 23rd season in an AHL coaching role.
Charlotte is 19-8-1-2 and has the top points percentage in the Eastern Conference (.683).
John Gruden, Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs) -- North Division
The 54-year-old brought NHL coaching experience with him when the Maple Leafs hired him to lead their AHL affiliate before the 2023-24 season.
He spent 11 pro seasons as a defenseman and played 92 NHL games with the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators. After retiring as a player, he has had roles with the United States National Team Development Program and the Ontario Hockey League with Flint and Hamilton. He then spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and one more with Boston before going to Toronto.
Toronto is 17-8-2-3.
Dan Watson, Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings) -- Central Division
The Red Wings have long prided themselves on in-house development, and Watson is a coaching example.
They hired Watson, 45, as Grand Rapids coach before the 2023-24 season. Before that promotion, he had spent 14 seasons with Detroit’s ECHL affiliate, Toledo, as an assistant coach, associate coach, and coach. He led Toledo to the Kelly Cup Finals twice and was named the ECHL coach of the year in 2016-17.
Grand Rapids is 20-10-3-0 and has the second-best point percentage in the Western Conference (.652).
Joe Cirella/Trent Cull, Calgary (Calgary Flames) -- Pacific Division
It is still to be determined whether it will Cirella or Cull representing Calgary at the event.
Cull, who represented Calgary at last season’s AHL All-Star Classic, moved to the Flames as an interim assistant coach Dec. 22. With Cull moving to the Flames, Cirella shifted from assistant coach with the AHL affiliate to coach.
Cull, 51, spent nine seasons as an AHL assistant coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning before another five seasons as an AHL coach for the Vancouver Canucks with Utica and Abbotsford. He went to Vancouver as an assistant coach for part of the 2022-23 season, and the Flames hired him as their AHL coach before last season.
Cirella, 61, was a defenseman who played 828 NHL games with the Colorado Rockies, Devils, Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers, Panthers and Senators. He is in his seventh season with the Flames organization.
Calgary (23-10-1-0) leads the AHL in wins and points percentage (.691).
