Penguins draft Brayden Yager 14th overall
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Brayden Yager with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Brayden Yager
Position: Center
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 166 lbs
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
Club: Moose Jaw (WHL)
Nationality: 🇨🇦
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 11th among North American skaters
2022-23 Stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moose Jaw | 67 | 28 | 50 |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Yager has been on scouts' radars since the 2021-22 season with the Moose Jaw Warriors, which saw him net 34 goals and 59 points in 63 games en route to being named CHL Rookie of the Year.
Though the Saskatoon native was a point-per-game player in his sophomore campaign - while adding 16 points in 10 playoff games - he didn't fill the net as much as he did in his first season. Yager was also ranked fifth among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings, but he tumbled six places in the final edition.
Yager made it his mission in September to be taken in the top five of an incredibly deep 2023 NHL Draft. Though that didn't end up being in the cards for him, he's still a coveted player with a dangerous shot and a quick release who has a great habit of staying out of the box. Yager amassed just 14 penalty minutes this campaign and was tabbed the WHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2022-23 season. He was selected third overall at the 2020 WHL bantam draft.
On the international stage, Yager was key for Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup - a yearly international under-18 tournament - last summer, ranking second on the team in goals and points to help take home gold.
What they're saying
"He's not the biggest center, but Yager plays hard, showing a commitment to making plays without the puck and winning a lot of battles even though he's not overly physical," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "His main offensive weapon is his shot, which is high-end due to his great technique and accuracy, but he does have the slick hands and vision to beat defenses in other ways."
"He's a natural scorer and creator who plays a direct style, but he's also got plus vision and deft touch. ... I like the way he supports the puck defensively as a centerman, too, though he'll need to get stronger to be as reliable defensively at the NHL level as he is in junior," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler said.
Click here to watch Yager's higlights.