WHL Moose Jaw Warriors

Yager Enjoying Draft Experience Ahead of this Week's NHL Draft

June 26, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release


From training sessions to meetings with NHL teams and everything in between, the lead up to the 2023 NHL Draft has been busy for Brayden Yager.

The Moose Jaw Warriors forward is taking it all in stride as he looks to become the organization's next first round pick on Wednesday in Nashville, TN.

"It's been really fun, times flying by a little bit, but I'm super excited," Yager said.

Since being selected by the Warriors with the third overall pick in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Yager has been touted as a top prospect for the NHL Draft.

The Saskatoon product has lived up to those expectations over his first two full seasons in the Western Hockey League, winning the 2021-22 CHL Rookie of the Year and following it up with the WHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player award in 2022-23.

Yager said he's happy that draft week is finally here.

"It's super exciting, obviously for myself, but also my family and buddies that I've played with over the years and who are going through the same experience," he said.

"I'm not really going to expect too much, anything can happen, I'm just going to try and enjoy it. My family will be there, it's in a cooler place like Nashville, so try to take that in a little bit."

Yager finished the season ranked 11th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

He put together a stellar season with the Warriors, finishing with a career-high 50 assists and 78 points in 67 games. He added six goals and 16 points in 10 playoff games, helping lead the Warriors into the second round of the WHL Playoffs for the second straight season.

"I'm super happy with my season," Yager said. "I feel really good about scoring lots of goals the year before and then getting a ton of assists thus year, I'm super confident being able to do either style of game now."

Yager said he's focused on becoming a complete player since joining the Warriors.

"I've worked with out coaches and other players on my 200-foot game, that's something that's super important and I take a lot of pride in," he said.

Following the season, Yager went right back to work, training and preparing for the NHL Combine, which he attended earlier this month in Buffalo, NY.

Yager said he enjoyed the experience at the Combine and is happy with his showing during testing and meetings with teams.

"I had fun doing it, tried my best and gave every extra effort that I could," he said.

"I met with 22 teams and it was like nothing that I had ever experienced before. You walk into a room and there's anywhere from three to 10 staff members of the NHL team that you're interviewing and they just asked questions, get to know you a little bit better, ask how your season went and all about you."

Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk and Yager's linemate Jagger Firkus went through the combine and draft experience last year before being selected in the first and second rounds, respectively.

Yager said he leaned on both of his teammates for advice about going through the process.

"It's nice to have somebody that you can talk to and give you a bit of insight of what it's going to be like," he said. "The biggest thing that those guys, and other people that I talked to, said was just be myself, that's what they're looking for is just to see what kind of kid you are."

Yager is travelling down to Nashville this week for Wednesday's first round and said he's excited to take in the sights.

"I'm a big country music fan, so hopefully get a little bit of that, but for the most part, I just want to enjoy it with my family," he said.

"I'll be super excited wherever I go."

The first round of the NHL Draft at 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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