Seattle forward Jagger Firkus will make his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki on Saturday.
The Story
Jagger Firkus is set to make his NHL debut for the Seattle Kraken when the team plays the Carolina Hurricanes in the second game of the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland at Veikkaus Arena on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
Firkus, 22, said after Seattle’s morning skate that he is feeling “excitement going through me right now.”
The Kraken will be looking for a response after they fell 4-1 to the Hurricanes in the first game of the Global Series on Thursday, and head coach Lane Lambert said he expects Firkus to provide “new blood, new energy.” Lambert added that “the puck kind of follows him around a little bit,” noting the forward’s ability to “shoot it and shoot it in the net.”
Firkus has 12 points—four goals and eight assists—in 12 games with the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley this season. He also will become the 38th player to make an NHL debut outside North America.
Firkus said his parents had enough notice to travel, and called the experience “a whirlwind,” adding that while he “didn’t really picture playing your first game in Finland,” it is “a unique experience that you’ll look back on and be grateful for.”
A second-round pick (No. 35) of Seattle in the 2022 NHL Draft, Firkus needed patience before his first NHL opportunity. After his draft selection, he played two seasons for Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League, then led the league with 126 points (61 goals, 65 assists) in 63 games in 2023-24 before turning professional.
Firkus recorded 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 69 games as an AHL rookie with Coachella Valley in 2024-25, and was second on the Firebirds with 56 points (21 goals, 35 assists) in 63 games last season. He said the development path and support available through the Coachella Valley program—and people he can “reach out to”—helped him be ready for his debut.
← More stories