The Moose Jaw Warriors will be without forward Jagger Firkus for the next week of Western Hockey League action.
And it’s for best possible reason imaginable.
It was announced Saturday afternoon that the 19-year-old forward had been added to Team Canada’s roster for the remainder of the World Junior Hockey Championship and will be immediately joining the team in Gothenburg, Sweden.
“It’s an exciting day for Jagger and the Warriors organization,” Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said in a press release from the team.“We wish Jagger all the best of luck as he represents his country.”
Firkus joins Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk and forward Brayden Yager on Team Canada, marking the first time in franchise history that three Warriors have represented Canada at the same World Juniors.
It’s a fast turnaround for Firkus, as he put up three assists in the Warriors’ win over Regina on Friday night, only to find out hours later he needed to be on a plane as quickly as possible to try and get to Sweden in time for Canada’s game against Germany on Sunday evening.
The decision rights what many hockey onlookers felt was an egregious misstep by Team Canada brass when they decided to make Firkus one of their final cuts despite his incredible start to the season.
The move also comes after Canada dropped a 2-0 decision to Sweden on Friday, a loss where a player with Firkus' incredible agility and hockey sense could have used the big ice to create much more offence.
After his showing Friday, Firkus has 27 goals and 59 points in 32 games this season to sit fourth in WHL scoring. The Irma, Alta. product led the league in scoring for much of the month of November after getting off to a torrid start, leading to his invite for Team Canada’s selection camp in early December.
Firkus gets the call as Team Canada goes through some injury concerns. Canada had earlier replaced defenceman Tristan Luneau (NHL Anaheim) and Tanner Molendyk (WHL Saskatoon) and with Matthew Savoie taking Saturday practice off as a ‘maintenance day’, Firkus was called in as a replacement should he not be able to continue the tournament.
Firkus will only take the ice if a Canada forward is unable to play, and any player he replaces will be unable to return for the remainder of the tournament.
The Team Canada duties will be the first for Firkus in his hockey career.
The Seattle Kraken second-round pick has led the Warriors in scoring each of the last two seasons with 110 goals and 243 points in 199 career WHL games.
Canada faces Germany in their final round-robin game on Sunday afternoon before looking ahead to the quarter-finals on Tuesday, semifinals on Thursday and gold medal game on Friday.
The Warriors are back in action Saturday night when they travel to Prince Albert. Next home action is Friday when the Raiders are in town. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
