Prospect Info: 2023 14th Overall - Brayden Yager

[Jobeycool]

Had a lot going on today to post anything or watch the draft.. We would never be getting the top 10 fall in to our spot.

 

[vodeni]

What!

well thats a bit of downer

 

[eXile3]

I wish I got real analysis on the pick instead of some awkward kid throwing out trite bull crap.

 

[Peat]

Never dug much into him as I didn't see things about him that made me excited compared to the others

Now I am, I feel like I'm reading about different players with different profiles. Fantastic skater! Fantastic straight line speed but bad edges! Average skater! Good playmaker, bad playmaker, always engaged, sometimes a float, limited upside, big upside...

About the only thing agreed on is he's defensively responsible and he can really shoot.

I'm gonna keep digging but right now I'm a little ho-hum.

Also whoever is our WHL scout clearly knows how to make a pitch

 

[Pancakes]

The Topdown Hockey guy doesn't love it but a lot of other places had him ranked right around where we took him.

Not like any of us have watched enough of these kids play to honestly say whether we love or hate it.

We'll see how it looks with another year of development *shrug*.

 

[Turin]

well thats a bit of downer

Because two morons, Pens Report and Patrick Bacon have unqualified opinions? Lol.

 

[Andy99]

Ryan Wilson hates it, so by default I love the pick. Anything that makes that dork ass nerd throw a tantrum is a plus.

He’s not the only one…

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Ryan Wilson may be one of the most miserable human beings on the planet.

Anyway, not gonna pretend to know anything about the guy, but I like that it’s not some safe “this guy projects to be a solid two way forward” type of pick.

Yeah more than anything I'm glad they took a shot at high end talent. I know they haven't had a pick this high in a while or really many first rounder at all but drafting for size and a safe projection is lame.

I don't know nearly enough to form a real opinion either but on the surface I like it. Even if some of the reports and highlight videos don't exactly enthuse me much.

 

[PensandCaps]

Yah i wouldn't put too much stock on graphs for prospects lol.

 

[Andy99]

 

[vodeni]

Because two morons, Pens Report and Patrick Bacon have unqualified opinions? Lol.

give me some qualified ones ...

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Ryan Wilson thought the pick we get now was gonna become a regular in the NHL in the next 2 years? Lol.

 

[Jobeycool]

Everyone passed on that real good skating defensemen.. who will prob be good in 3 - 5 years at the NHL level.

 

[Dominance]

Oh my god these charts for prospects are straight up Pejorative Slured.

They would have said he was a sure-thing star a year ago.

Dropping this in here:

Yager has plus plus skating and does not play small. Got those intangibles Sully will love if he’s still around.

After frying the WHL last year, the only criticism was uncertainty about his playmaking and how well he used his teammates. This year, he showed he had those attributes in spades, but his goal scoring took a step back.

You don’t just lose his elite snapper. Yager is a guy to get excited about.

Yager could be 1, 2, or 3 years away. It all depends on whether he puts together the goalscoring from last year with the playmaking of this year. But either way, he has the wheels, intensity, and defensive responsibility. He’s going to make the league and be a good player for us (assuming he doesn’t become a chip in a win-now move). It’s just a matter of when and how big of a role.

 

[PensandCaps]

Never dug much into him as I didn't see things about him that made me excited compared to the others

Now I am, I feel like I'm reading about different players with different profiles. Fantastic skater! Fantastic straight line speed but bad edges! Average skater! Good playmaker, bad playmaker, always engaged, sometimes a float, limited upside, big upside...

About the only thing agreed on is he's defensively responsible and he can really shoot.

I'm gonna keep digging but right now I'm a little ho-hum.

Also whoever is our WHL scout clearly knows how to make a pitch

Watching a few of his highlights from last season, he can read defenses pretty well and make nice passes. Improving on that, at that age is a good sign.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'd have probably taken a shot with Perreault. Expected Wood or ASP, tbh. Was holding my breath as Buffalo was picking that maybe Benson would make it, but no dice. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

He’s not the only one…

ok

 

[TNT87]

 

[PensandCaps]

Ryan Wilson thought the pick we get now was gonna become a regular in the NHL in the next 2 years? Lol.

Considering his defensive game, I wouldn't be shocked to see him in two years.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Wish we traded the pick, but whatever. Yager is a decent pick.

Was hoping for a trade, too, but given no trades have happened, perhaps teams aren't willing to move firsts because of the depth of the draft.

 

[Turin]

give me some qualified ones ...

Patrick Bacon had Michkov ahead of Bedard and Simashev in like the 4th round.

Dubas would have already had information, he doesn't need spread sheets prepared by TO's scouts to know about the draft this year.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Yah i wouldn't put too much stock on graphs for prospects lol.

57 guys were preferred over Kucherov during his draft. My faith in their ability to project squat is minimal.

 

[OnMyOwn]

I like this;

“The puck absolutely explodes off his stick, no matter how compromised his body positioning appears to be during release. He rips it off either leg in just about way: two-touch, one-timer, and catch-and-release. His inside leg wrister is his signature shot, tipping his weight over his outside edge while somehow keeping his chest up and exploding through the shot. He takes every single puck directly into his shooting pocket, prepared for the next play.”

 

[Dominance]

I'd have probably taken a shot with Perreault. Expected Wood or ASP, tbh. Was holding my breath as Buffalo was picking that maybe Benson would make it, but no dice. Oh well, we'll see what happens.


ok

I don’t think there’s a single hockey trait or skill that Perreault is better than Yager at.

 

[Peat]

Wheeler's superlatives article had Yager as one of the best two-way forwards, with HMs for shooting, smarts, floor and ceiling.

Pronman's "Who's a centre" article has Yager as a maybe, with the pros being he's got the PKing/Compete/Skating, but doesn't have the standout abilities you'd expect for a 5'11" C.

Pronman has Yager as a top 5 shot but 28th on his pure ceiling rankings

 

[Jobeycool]

I would have got a defensemen myself..