The Canadian Hockey League announced Saturday that Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus has been named CHL Player of the Year, spanning the three leagues of major junior hockey under the CHL umbrella. Ontario Hockey League star Ethan Cowen and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League standout Mathieu Cataford were the other finalists. Firkus also won the Western Hockey League’s Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to become his league’s representative for the CHL honor, which is the David Branch Player of the Year Award to honor former CHL president Branch, who held the role from 1996 until retirement in 2019.
Firkus finished his final amateur season with 61 goals and 65 assists for 126 points in 63 regular season games, then added 32 points (14 G, 18 A) in 20 appearances in the WHL Playoffs. Past winners from the WHL include some impressive names and one quite familiar to Kraken fans:
2022-23: Connor Bedard, Regina Pats
2021-22: Logan Stankoven, Kamloops Blazers
2009-10: Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats
1997-98: Sergei Varlamov, Swift Current Broncos
1987-88: Joe Sakic, Swift Current Broncos
