Inside Wheeler’s Shocking Summer 2025 NHL Prospect Rankings: Who’s the True Future Star?
Firkus is one of those little guys who just always seems to be around it and showing talent when he is. He plays the game with pace, energy and skill so that you can’t help but notice him shift to shift as he dashes around the ice making plays offensively. With the puck, defenders struggle to stick with him off cuts, and when they do, he has the craftiness to beat them in other ways. Without the puck, he races in and out of pockets to get open. The result is an at-times magnetic game that pulls you (and opposing players) in and then beats them with aggression and intention. He’s not an explosive skater, but he works, and he’s both quick and nimble, plus he has added a bit of a straight-line burst/acceleration. His slight frame (5-foot-11, 163 pounds) made him a second-round pick instead of a first-rounder, but he has endeared himself to just about everyone with the way he plays, and it’s clear watching him that he feels he can go out and create offense when he’s on the ice. He’s a slippery, always-threatening player who defenders — even, and maybe especially, those who are much bigger and stronger — either can’t stop because he pounces on opportunities and beats them before they get a chance to, or struggle to stop even when they get a crack at it. There are times I’ve wanted to see him play a little quicker against better competition (not in movement but in decision-making). I know some folks believe he’ll become the classic AAAA guy who lights it up in the AHL but never really becomes a full-time NHL guy, and those people were probably emboldened by his quiet showing at Team Canada’s selection camp for the World Juniors and his fine but not sexy production last year, but I won’t be surprised if he becomes a top-nine winger with some skill and quick-strike ability with the right patience and coach, either. Not every player in the NHL has to fit the same mold. Sometimes you need an opportunistic little water bug like Firkus.
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