Prospect Info: 2023 14th Overall - Brayden Yager

[CheckingLineCenter]

I don't think that first season counts as a full year, since he won ROY the next year.

Yeah that’s what I would think. But he did play 100% of Moose Jaw’s games. Idk. He prob won’t be ready to jump to the AHL anyway but I’m curious what the ruling would be.

 

[Flying Dego]

Puustinen-Yager-Broz
Belliveau-Pickering
Blomqvist

Our future starting lineup is shaping up...nice.

The likelihood of all those guys becoming regulars here is below 0. Lol

They'll be traded or fail to hack it. Maybe 1 or 2 stick with us and become full timers.

 

[Andy99]

Puustinen-Yager-Broz
Belliveau-Pickering
Blomqvist

Our future starting lineup is shaping up...nice.

Lol…positives are that it will return us a nice top 2 draft pick…

 

[Jacob]

The prospect forum thread on Yager is interesting. Goes back a few years. Some considered him as being #2 to Bedard a while back. This season was iffy enough to drop him a bit. Some say it was a team thing. Some said he was working on unsexy aspects. Someone said he just didn’t have enough like, blowout performances to pad his stats. Most still saw him going where he did (or a bit earlier). Lots of highlight clips throughout this past year and pluses/critiques to his game.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

The prospect forum thread on Yager is interesting. Goes back a few years. Some considered him as being #2 to Bedard a while back. This season was iffy enough to drop him a bit. Some say it was a team thing. Some said he was working on unsexy aspects. Someone said he just didn’t have enough like, blowout performances to pad his stats. Most still saw him going where he did (or a bit earlier). Lots of highlight clips throughout this past year and pluses/critiques to his game.

Should have some good trade value, at least.

 

[Peat]

It’s weird Pronman makes the Konecny comp. Didn’t get the black book but Hockey prospect didn’t love his compete right? Those guys typically dont just make shit up.

Lot of places didn't. Lot of places talking up Yager's responsibility and energy. I think Pronman's comp for Yager was a more offensively direct William Karlsson (him or Wheeler, one of them).

Welcome to reading about what was clearly one of the draft's most inconsistent and divisive prospects.

I think that his biggest need is to get stronger. (Should be easy to do, if he's not a petts) and if he can do that, you'll see an improvement across the board.

This is very true. He is a scrawny kid who's going to be at least ten, if not twenty, pounds heavier and stronger at pro level. It could do a lot for his skating, give him more confidence in his board battles, make his shot nastier.

It has probably been mentioned, but Yager won CHL rookie of the year in 2021-2022 and that was why he was projected as a top-5 pick for the 2023 draft entering the year. He just didn't progress like he was expected to in his rookie year.

This pick feels a bit weird to me, because it simultaneously feels like a safer pick while also having the potential to boom. He legitimately seems like he can be anything from a Sutter caliber 3C to a McCann caliber top-6 winger, and he has the potential to boom to beyond a McCann caliber player.

Roughly agree with this, yeah. I'd phrase it as

His pro floor (as opposed to just missing) is he's a decently mobile athlete who tries hard and does good detail but whose shot doesn't entirely translate making his offence annoyingly inconsistent and who lacks the physicality to engage and who therefore becomes a versatile bottom six player and occasional top six plug (think pre-breakout ERod) OR his shot translates but he can't clean up the inconsistencies and he's Sprong mk2. Really weird to see two totally different floors, but I do.

McCann as his realistic ceiling seems about right, and lets remember he just had a 70 point season with 40 goals

Booming beyond that... I've seen people throw around Patches, Connor, and Barzal as comps in his prospect thread. And MacKinnon lite. I think if he can make big steps with his skating, if his shot progresses, if he can turn the hands into a consistent thing, if the willingness to be a two-way play remains and he improves it... yeah, he could be a star. I don't think he's ever going to be great at using his team mates and will always be rush dependent, but if he can be a guy whose shot really pops and whose skating makes him deadly on the rush, without sucking in other areas, that's a big deal. I doubt it, but his realistic ceiling is high.

Now if only one of Hextall's other picks could look halfway decent.

I find your lack of faith in Kirill Tankov Sergei Murashov disturbing

 

[chethejet]

He fits a significant need here. RH shot center who can shoot the puck and has upside as to his play. Now he needs to mature and do significant S&C work but in say three years, He will be a top 9 player and part of the next core to get back to competing for playoffs.

 

[Jdodd]

For me he seems to have great positional awareness that would mean he is a smart hockey player. He also seems to have a very good shot. So as long as he is a good skater he has a place in the NHL. So worst case good 3rd liner giving you 30-40 points a year. Best Case is 1st or 2nd line and getting you Reilly Smith/Rackell type numbers.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean, if the kid's absolute floor is Penguins-era McCann, that's still a pretty good pick, given how little our 1st rounders tend to work out.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Heh... I love that so many people were pounding the shit outta the desk (not you HSL) for weeks about getting some future stud here and how essential it was to keep this pick. And now we're like "hey Penguins-era McCann would be alright since you usually get trash at this position."

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Would be cool if he wears #92 for us.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Heh... I love that so many people were pounding the shit outta the desk (not you HSL) for weeks about getting some future stud here and how essential it was to keep this pick. And now we're like "hey Penguins-era McCann would be alright since you usually get trash at this position."

Lol, I know. But on the other hand, I don't think Yager is any less valuable as a trade asset in the coming season or so. We can always move him.

I'm just kinda bummed we didn't trade up for Dvorský who has the size and talent to come in and start competing here.

 

[Peat]

Heh... I love that so many people were pounding the shit outta the desk (not you HSL) for weeks about getting some future stud here and how essential it was to keep this pick. And now we're like "hey Penguins-era McCann would be alright since you usually get trash at this position."

I think all of the 3 or so people in this thread holding up McCann as a ceiling are talking Seattle McCann, not Penguins McCann.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I think all of the 3 or so people in this thread holding up McCann as a ceiling are talking Seattle McCann, not Penguins McCann.

You'll have to forgive me in advance, Peat.

The closer we get to this team just sitting on it's ass and trying to play fence-sitter the shitter of an attitude I'm gonna have haha

 

[Peat]

You'll have to forgive me in advance, Peat.

The closer we get to this team just sitting on it's ass and trying to play fence-sitter the shitter of an attitude I'm gonna have haha

Fair, but there's plenty to be shitty about that's actually true without inventing stuff.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Fair, but there's plenty to be shitty about that's actually true without inventing stuff.

Alright alright.

Sub in Sutter as the comp, then.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Ironically or not, Seattle McCann could have been Pittsburgh McCann too if we hadn't done the dumb move of trying to protect Carter over him.

But on paper Yager and McCann look eerily similar in some ways-- physical tools, good shots, but questions about competing and their overall ability to put it together. I hope we do better with Yager than we did with McCann or sell him while his value is high.

 

[Peat]

Alright alright.

Sub in Sutter as the comp, then.

Hah! Well, they've all got shitty floors.

I guess I'm still waiting to see a trade where I would have rather spent the pick there. I'm sure it will come but so far nothing makes sense for the price.

I also wish we'd picked someone else even if I'm intrigued, so we'll see there too.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Hah! Well, they've all got shitty floors.

I guess I'm still waiting to see a trade where I would have rather spent the pick there. I'm sure it will come but so far nothing makes sense for the price.

I also wish we'd picked someone else even if I'm intrigued, so we'll see there too.

You know I'm just being difficult as usual.

If they were gonna keep this pick... Yager is at least the KIND of player I wanted them to take so it's not like I'm clawing out my eyes over here. And fair point re: trades. Frankly there wasn't much tempting out there the Penguins could have realistically been in on prior to the draft. And what was didn't look great to me. Hell no trades all fist round yesterday.

In general I agree with the notion that this league is just borrrrrringggggggg and we love to be entertained.

 

[Peat]

Kid really does have a MAF lite smile

 

[Jacob]

Kid really does have a MAF lite smile

 

[Ryder71]

View attachment 723530

Yeah well, he better be a good player for us!

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah well, he better be a good player for us!

Crosby? He’s been pretty good so far.

 

[Ryder71]

Crosby? He’s been pretty good so far.

Set the bar higher!

 

[DearDiary]

I've rethinked my position since yesterday. It takes a lot of risk and guts to go from a guy known for an elite shot to a guy who plays a 200ft game so late in his junior career. Along with the drop in offensive numbers that come with it. He's probably atleast 3 years away from having a potential impact at the NHL level, but it will be fun for fans to watch his development and see what direction he goes.