MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- After the kind of regular season they put together, it seemed only natural that the Moose Jaw Warriors would be well represented when it came to the East Division All-Star awards announced by the Western Hockey League earlier this week.
And sure enough, that’s exactly the case.
Goaltender Jackson Unger, defenceman Denton Mateychuk and forward Jagger Firkus were all named to the First Team, while forwards Atley Calvert and Brayden Yager take home Second Team honours.
The awards mark the first time in team history that three players have been named First Team All-Stars and was also the first top team selection for all three players. Mateychuk was named to the Second Team in the 2021-22 season.
As one might expect, all three First Teamers had absolutely outstanding seasons.
Mateychuk set a new Warriors record for defenceman scoring in a season, scoring 17 goals and 75 points in only 52 games, thanks to suiting up for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship. He capped the campaign with 215 career points.
Firkus’ season success is well-known, as the 19-year-old forward won the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s leading scoring after putting up 61 goals and 126 points, easily surpassing his single-season career records.
Firkus is now fourth on the Warriors’ all-time points list and became just the fourth player to surpass the 300-point mark in his WHL career.
Unger topped the WHL and tied for the lead in the entire Canadian Hockey League with 35 wins this season, while his career-best .908 save percentage was sixth in the WHL and his 3.08 goals against average was 13th overall.
Saskatoon Blades forwards Trevor Wong and Egor Sidorov joined defenceman Tanner Molendyk in making up the rest of the East Division First Team.
Calvert enjoyed a brilliant overage season, as the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product put together a career-high 47 goals and 95 points while playing all 68 games. The WHL Player of the Month for February also set the Warriors franchise record for most career points by a Moose Jaw-born Warrior.
Yager also enjoyed his best season as a Warrior, putting up 35 goals and 95 points while playing 57 games and also suiting up at the World Juniors. The honour is the latest in Yager’s storied career, after winning the CHL Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 and the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2022-23.
The Warriors’ duo are joined by Brandon Wheat Kings goalie Carson Bjarnason, Saskatoon Blades defenceman Charlie Wright, Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Justice Christensen and forward Sloan Stanick as East Division Second Team All Stars.
The Warriors open their first-round playoff series on Friday night when the Brandon Wheat Kings are at the Moose Jaw Events Centre for Game 1. Game time is 7 p.m.
-- With files from the Moose Jaw Warriors
