MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM – After the kind of season the duo put together, it should come as no surprise that Jagger Firkus and Denton Mateychuk shared the major honour on Saturday during the Moose Jaw Warriors' annual Yara Awards Night.
The 19-year-olds were named the Western Hockey League team's co-Player of the Year during the presentation of awards prior to the regular season finale.
Firkus took home three awards in total, winning the Emerald Custom Creations 3-Star Award and Tim Hortons’ Top Scorer after leading the team in scoring for the third consecutive season with 61 goals and 126 points.
Mateychuk was also named the Safeway Top Defenceman award winner after setting a new franchise record for most career points by a defenceman this season.
The Warriors’ captain has 17 goals and 75 points in just 52 games in 2023-24.
Atley Calvert was another big winner on the night, coming away with three awards on Saturday.
The hometown Warrior won the Conexus Credit Union Cody Smuk Unsung Hero and Yara Fans Choice awards, while also sharing the Moose Jaw Co-op Humanitarian award with Brayden Yager.
Calvert posted a career-high 46 goals and 93 points this season, while also becoming the highest-scoring Moose Jaw-born player in franchise history.
In addition to the Humanitarian award, Yager also walked away with the C&E Mechanical Most Sportsmanlike award, which he won the Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League awards for last season.
Yager set a career-high with 35 goals and 95 points in his fourth season with the Warriors.
Jackson Unger was named the winner of the Andy’s Transmission Most Improved award after leading the WHL in wins with 35 this season.
In his first season with the Warriors, Brayden Schuurman won the Mark MacKay Hustle and Hardest Working Warrior award. Schuurman finished with 20 goals and 48 points in 66 games this season.
Pavel McKenzie’s stellar freshman campaign with the Warriors led to him capturing the JGL Rookie of the Year award. The Cumberland House, Sask. product had 15 goals and 36 points in 63 games this season.
Owen Berge has excelled both on the ice and in the classroom this season to earn the Ms. Rose-Mary Hartney Scholastic Achievement award.
The Warriors now turn their attention to the WHL Playoffs, with action beginning Friday night at the Moose Jaw Events Centre when Moose Jaw hosts the Brandon Wheat Kings. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
