Firkus & Jugnauth: Size Doesn't Matter

0:00From the Daily News Now Network, this is NHL News Today. Subscribe to keep up with every headline, every game. Seattle Kraken Prospects Jagger Ferkis and Tyson Jugnauth are proving size does not matter in hockey. Drafted in 2022, Ferkis went 35th overall as a right-winger, and Juvenouth 100th as a defenseman. Both started at just over 150 pounds, but they each packed on 20 pounds. Now they are key players for the AHL, Coachella Valley Firebirds, and earned spots in the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic. Jugnauth took a winding road to the pros. The Toronto native played junior in the BCHL before heading to the University of Wisconsin for his freshman year, where he notched 15 points in. 32 games. A coaching change led him to switch mid-season to the WHO Portland Winnerhawks. There, Jugnauth thrived, becoming an alternate captain and leading WHO defenseman with 89 points, including a record 76 assists.

1:04He won the Bill Hunter trophy as the top defenseman. That success carried over as he now leads AHL rookie blue liners in scoring. Meanwhile, Ferkis, known for his dazzling skills, bulked up to 170 pounds before this season. He ranks high in shots on goal with 158 and both a strong shooting percentage. At the All-Star event, he went perfect in the accuracy shooting competition. Both players credit off ice work for their on-ice gains and say the All-Star nod boosted their confidence. Even if not ranked in the crack in top 10 prospects, they show huge promise heading into the future.