Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill regretted not finding the right moment to summon Jagger Firkus for a look-see last season.
“The one player that I was disappointed that we couldn’t get up at the end of the year was Jagger Firkus. He took a big step at Coachella Valley. Firkus, (Logan) Morrison and Jani Nyman, when they were down there (together), were a dominant line.”
Chances are much better that Firkus will get to skate in a Kraken jersey this regular season, and maybe for more than a cameo.
The 22-year-old forward now has two seasons with the AHL Firebirds under his belt. Firkus scored 21 goals in 2025-26, and 15 goals in his rookie season. The Kraken selected him in the 2nd round in 2022 precisely because he could fill the net with pucks. His last three seasons with the OHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, the Irma, Alberta native scored 36, 40, and then an eye-popping 61 goals.
Kraken Prospect Improved Overall Game
“Growth is a huge, huge word (to describe) Firkus,” says Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal. “When he plays a 200 foot game, he’s effective because he’s a fierce scorer. He’s got tenacity on the puck. He’s a smart carrier.
“He knows how to strip pucks and puts himself in good positions. If you look at last year compared to his first year, he took a step. He was a complete player throughout the year. He’s just got a head for the game.”
Firkus has also upped his ability to distribute – 35 assists last year, after 21 in the season prior. “His off-puck play has improved quite a bit the past few years, and he’s as offensively minded as they come,” says Steven Ellis of DailyFaceoff.com. “I feel much more confident that he’ll make the NHL than I did a year ago, so hopefully Seattle develops him correctly.”
That development resumed last week at Kraken rookie camp. Firkus scored in Sunday’s Prospect Showcase game against Vancouver Canucks rookies. He’s been invited to join the full Kraken training camp, which opens for on-ice drills Thursday at Kraken Community Iceplex.
Will Kraken Welcome Firkus Into Center Ring?
Cami Kepke of CHL.ca wrote what we’re all wondering.
“Could the ‘Firkus Circus’ be NHL-bound in 2026-27? The former WHL Player of the Year took a big step forward in his second season of professional hockey with Coachella Valley. Firkus ranked third on the team in points, goals and assists and stepped up his output in the playoffs with nine points (4G-5A) in 12 outings.
“The 5-foot-11, 161-pound winger remains one of the most dominant players to suit up for Moose Jaw, having amassed 310 points (144G-166A) in 230 games over parts of five seasons, culminating in his masterful 126-point (61G-65A) 2023-24 season that saw him earn WHL and CHL Player of the Year, WHL and CHL Top Scorer honours, and hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history.”
Botterill has already predicted the Kraken could have as many as “eight or nine” 23-and-under forwards on the roster. For a franchise which has historically been starved for goals, a player like Firkus who’s “as offensively minded as they come” could fit quite well.
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