Kraken Prospect Firkus A WHL Champion, Will Play For Memorial Cup

Until Jagger Firkus came along, the Moose Jaw Warriors franchise had played since 1980 without ever winning a Western Hockey League championship.

Then the prolific forward nicknamed "Firkus Circus" began occupying the center ring - scratch that, center ice. Firkus came to Moose Jaw in 2019. Along the way, the Seattle Kraken selected him in the 2nd round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

The 20-year old from Irma, Alberta, had a breakout 2021-22 season with 36 goals. He topped that in '22-'23, scoring 40 goals, before exploding in '23-'24 with an eye-popping 61 goals and 126 points in 63 games.

This week, after 32 more points in playoff series wins over Brandon, Swift Current, Saskatoon and Portland, Firkus and the Warriors became WHL champs for the first time.

As WHL champion, Firkus and the Warriors now advance to the Memorial Cup in Saginaw, MI, beginning next week. The winners from each of the three major junior leagues which comprise the CHL, along with the host Saginaw Spirit, will play a round-robin to determine which two teams get a chance to compete in the final.

Moose Jaw, by the way, is a city of 34,000 residents in southern Saskatchewan, about 120 miles north of the Montana border.

The Warriors Memorial Cup schedule, with all games starting at 4:30 pm Pacific time:

• May 24: Moose Jaw vs. Saginaw Spirit (host team)
• May 27: Moose Jaw vs. London Knights (OHL champion)
• May 28: Moose Jaw vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL champion)
• May 31: Memorial Cup Semifinal
• June 2: Memorial Cup Final