An outstanding season for Moose Jaw Warriors standouts Denton Mateychuk and Jagger Firkus is about to get that much better.
The duo were among 15 players from throughout the Western Hockey League named to the CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game on Tuesday, and as a result will have a chance to show their skills while skating with and against the best-of-the-best heading into the 2022 NHL Draft.
After putting together a stellar showing in the East Division Hub during the shortened 2020-21 season, Mateychuk has only seen his stock improve and is now a bona fide NHL first-round prospect.
On top of being ranked ninth among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting mid-season rankings, virtually every scouting organization has the Winnipeg product slated to go in the top 32 picks this summer, with EliteProspects.com even having him as high as seven.
That’s all for good reason given his production this season.
Matecyhuk is currently fourth in defenceman scoring with eight goals and 42 points in 46 games, behind only Regina’s Ryker Evans in the Eastern Conference. That’s to go along with his impressive puck possession skills, which often see the young rearguard able to skate his way out of trouble while also setting up chances at the other end of the ice.
Firkus, meanwhile, has simply been Jagger Firkus.
After drawing rave reviews in his first appearances as a Warrior two seasons ago and putting together a serviceable showing in the Hub, the Irma, Alta. product has taken a huge step in his draft year.
It started with a 10-game point-streak in the first month of the season before things really got going at the beginning of December. Firkus would go on a run that saw him pick up points in 18 of 20 games, including an eight-game stretch from Dec. 11 to 28 with eight goals and 16 points followed by a run from Jan. 16 through Jan. 29 with five goals and 13 points in seven games.
All told, Firkus has 27 goals and 59 points on the season, good enough for sixth in Western Hockey League scoring and making him the highest-scoring Draft-eligible forward in the WHL.
The CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game will take place on Mar. 23 in Kitchener and will feature the top 40 Draft eligible players split into two teams. Since 1996, a total of 15 players who played in the game have been selected first overall, and 37 players from the 2020 contest were selected in the following Draft.
