ABbotsford, British Columbia – Kraken rookie winger Jagger Firkus leads the Firebirds in scoring and is tied for eighth among all NHL skaters. The 2022 second-round pick is averaging points per game and is expected to surpass his solid rookie season in the AHL in the second half of January.
However, what the 2023 Western Hockey League Player of the Year wanted to discuss after skating on a recent Saturday morning in Abbotsford, B.C., was his growth as a 200-foot player going through both his Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal and Kraken. Lane Lambert Both cautioned that the best offense is to defend to win the ball back.
“Lax was really good at letting me know that if you're good in the D zone, that's where our offensive opportunities are going to happen,” said Firkus, 21, who meets Kraken's player development expectations. “He tells you, stay in the zone, track and reload through the puck. That's the approach [the Kraken] Now playing. I enjoyed it. “
“Felker is a young player who's had success on the offensive end,” Larksdale said in the visiting coaches' room during a recent two-game weekend in British Columbia, “but he's done a lot of good things for us outside of the puck. He's been really good in training camp… When a young player starts doing the right things defensively, you get rewarded in another way, which is pretty cool.”
Laxdal added that Firkus is still learning. Sometimes he wants to park himself near the net instead of in front of it.
“He did realize that when having a cyber front presence, he was able to collect some of these [goals]”.
Kraken director of player development Cory Murphy credited the CV coaching staff with teaching Firkus “the importance of those little details” and how it enhances his overall game. “It's worth noting that Felker does understand now that playing a responsible game on both ends of the ice will allow him to have more opportunities with the puck because he's involved in puck battles in all zones,” Murphy said.
Don't forget his scoring touch
It's not that defensive play and crease battles will cause Firkus to overlook smart offensive opportunities at even strength or on the CVF power play first unit. Also Saturday night in Abbotsford, the Firebirds' leading scorer was involved in all three goals, adding two goals and an assist in the Firebirds' comeback win in a shootout. The first goal came on a power play by Oscar Fisker Molgaard.
On the second goal, Philkus burst into the offensive zone from the right side and drove home the rebound after teammate and summer trade acquisition J.R. Avon's first shot nearly beat the Abbotsford goalkeeper. Firkus and star rookie defenseman Tyson Jugnauth rode the puck to tie the game with a half-minute left in regulation, putting Meyers in position for a quick-release bullseye shot.
confidence game
One upgrade to Firkus' overall game is his ability to win puck battles in all areas, especially the corners. The Kraken hockey operations team took note, and members of the media commented on the same observation during training camp and the NHL preseason. At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Filkus is nearly 20 pounds heavier than when he was selected with the 35th overall pick in 2022. His physical success playing hockey at the AHL level is strengthening the young forward's mentality. He's always known he could score (how did he score 158 points in 83 regular season and playoff games in Moose Jaw's final WHL season?).
“I'm definitely more confident now with the ball,” said the 21-year-old Filkus. “Even just playing faster, I think if you can't protect the ball and let the ball go around players and find teammates quickly, you can't give your teammates space to pass the ball. I also want to create opportunities for my teammates.”
