Jagger Firkus

February 2024 –  If the buy-low window on Firkus hasn’t slammed shut in your league yet, take quick and full advantage as it won’t be open for long. Firkus is on an absolute heater this season, with 40 goals and 47 assists in 87 games. For context, last season he had 40 goals and 48 assists in 66 games for the entire season. Not only is he poised to smash his own personal best, he sits atop the WHL leaderboard for points, and though he’s third in goals, the two players ahead of him have played at least five more games. Firkus is likely to be a Firebird next season, and will show his stuff in camp. Acquire and stash him now before it’s too late. Alex Wyatt

March 2023 – Firkus is putting in another strong season in the WHL, leading the Moose Jaw Warriors in scoring with 73 points in 59 games. He could see some time with Coachella Valley (AHL) in the near future, and find himself not far from some NHL ice time in short order. He is still a bit on the smaller side, and will need to adjust to playing in the professional ranks, but with arguably the best shot in his draft class, Seattle has quite an exciting weapon in their arsenal if they develop him properly. Alex Wyatt

July 2022 – The Seattle Kraken have selected Firkus in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, 35th overall. Nick Richard

April 2022 – Firkus has had a massive season for Moose Jaw, spurring a meteoric rise in public draft circles. He has been the Warriors’ leading scorer and the second-highest scoring WHL draft-eligible player this season, just behind projected top-10 pick Matthew Savoie of the Winnipeg Ice.

Firkus lags behind much of his peer group in terms of physical development but makes up for it with intelligence and high-end skill. He makes quick reads and can execute plays under pressure, allowing him to efficiently distribute the puck and create space in the offensive zone when defenders close on him. Firkus can still be overwhelmed in physical battles but his escapability and internal clock help mitigate those issues at the junior level. For a smaller player, his shot is a surprisingly potent weapon that he utilizes in a variety of ways. He gets good torque on his one-timers, can quickly string a pass reception into a curl and drag release, and does well to change the release angle on his wrist shot in order to create deception. He has a tendency to stick to the perimeter at times and it will be interesting to see if he develops more of an attacking mindset as he matures physically, but he is still dangerous from the outside, both as a shooter and as a passer. Firkus will need to continue to work on his lower body strength to improve his explosiveness and ability to protect pucks down low but he has no shortage of enticing offensive potential. Nick Richard