Any time a hockey player goes through a change in their level of play, it’s easy to expect a bit of time for adjustment and getting used to things.
That stands when it comes to moving up a level, and is just as valid when moving down.
For Moose Jaw Warriors forward Jagger Firkus, it took all of 16 minutes in Regina last weekend, as he scored his first goal of the Western Hockey League season a little over a day after returning to the team from the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
Two games into his return, Firkus now had two goals and seven points and was already among the top 10 scorers in the WHL.
Not surprising, but definitely a positive for the high scoring 19-year-old winger.
“It’s obviously a bit different, there are changes in every area of the game and it took a little while to get used to,” Firkus said during practice earlier this week. “Now that I’m used to it again I think I’ll get back to where I was last year and keep moving.”
Firkus -- Seattle’s second round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft -- felt the biggest difference in the game was the same as other players in his position: the speed at which everything unfolds.
“Obviously you have a bit more time at this level, but that’s not how you want to play,” Firkus said. “You want to push the pace and try and stay at the NHL level, and I think that’s something that will help make our team great this year. We have a few NHL camp invites, so if we all keep the pace we had there it should improve the whole team.”
The Kraken training camp was the second for Firkus, and this time around was quite a bit different compared to the eye-opening experience of his first NHL camp last fall.
“Last year you’re stepping in and trying to get used to it, where this year you’re trying to prove to the staff that you’re a player and can play at that level,” he said. “That’s what I did this year, I was happy with my camp and the staff was happy with me as well, they just told me to come back here and keep doing my thing, keep acting like a professional and if I do that moving forward, everything will be good.”
Any kind of improvement at this level will be a bonus for the Warriors. Firkus finished with 40 goals and 88 points in 66 games last season and will likely push the 100-point mark this time around.
That kind of progress will be in line with what the Kraken are looking for and ideally lead to a long look when he’s back in Seattle in the fall of 2024.
“I just want to go out and play my game and help the team win, that’s the most important thing.” Firkus said. “I think if I do that It’ll help me heading into camp next season and we’ll see what happens.”
The Warriors are on the road for a pair of games this weekend as they travel to Lethbridge Friday and Medicine Hat Saturday, Next home action is Tuesday, Oct. 10 when they host the Calgary Hitmen to open a four-game home stand.
