Possible Return of Shane Wright in AHL Calder Cup Final for Firebirds

"I hate watching games. Any athlete can relate to that," Wright expressed with a smile in an interview with Tony Androckitis of InsideAHLHockey.com. Despite his injury, Wright has been actively participating in practice sessions leading up to the Final, eager to rejoin his team on the ice.

The incident that sidelined Wright occurred on May 18 when he was hit illegally by Hayden Hodgson of the Ontario Reign, as captured in an AHL-TV screenshot. The hit, unexpectedly timed during Game 2 at Acrisure Arena, sidelined Wright despite his earlier stellar performance with a goal and two assists.

Despite missing Game 3 against Ontario and subsequent playoff games against the Milwaukee Admirals in the Western Conference Finals, Wright's impact throughout the season hasn't gone unnoticed. He was recently honored by the AHL, named to the league's "Top Prospect" team for his impressive rookie season stats: 22 goals and 25 assists in 59 games, placing him among the top scorers among AHL newcomers. Wright also made notable contributions during his NHL call-ups with the Seattle Kraken, scoring four goals and one assist across eight games, including a standout performance against Anaheim.

Both the Kraken and Firebirds are eagerly anticipating Wright's potential return to the ice, hoping he can showcase his talents once again in the upcoming Final series, starting tonight.