F Brayden Yager - Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL (2023, 14th, PIT; traded to WPG)

[Gabrielor]

Kid is a stud, and a top 5 pick.

Looks like Jack Hughes-lite.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Kid is a stud, and a top 5 pick.

Looks like Jack Hughes-lite.

He looks nothing like Hughes but a great player none the less.

Like others have said, MacKinnon light or a Seguin type player, guys who push the pace and over power their opponents rather than a Hughes who uses elusiveness and creativity to do the most damage

 

[Lavar Ball]

 

[Antonche]

Yager will fall out top-8, i think

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Yager will fall out top-8, i think

Listed as 6’0 but I think he’s smaller than that. When you’ve got a guy who isn’t the biggest / best athlete and he’s not tearing it up, it’s probably fair that he falls a bit. I still love the prospect, but my bet is 10-15 range is where he goes.

 

[stevo61]

Listed as 6’0 but I think he’s smaller than that. When you’ve got a guy who isn’t the biggest / best athlete and he’s not tearing it up, it’s probably fair that he falls a bit. I still love the prospect, but my bet is 10-15 range is where he goes.

I dont know, I could see a team or 2 will be willing to draft the talent and then give him time to bulk up. Hes listed in the 160's so even if he can add 20ish pounds in the 2 or 3 years it would be significant for him

 

[vildurson]

He looks nothing like Hughes but a great player none the less.

Like others have said, MacKinnon light or a Seguin type player, guys who push the pace and over power their opponents rather than a Hughes who uses elusiveness and creativity to do the most damage

I like the mackinnon lite / light comparison. Probably most suited one i have seen so far.

I've seen like 3 games of Yager(one against Kelowna and so on, where I really didn't like Cristall that much for example...) now and I still have really soft spot for his game. He still drives play quite well and plays pretty complete game, even on his own end and is decent defensively. He is also surprisingly good at faceoffs. He still forces some shots too much and could be more physical as well. He mostly plays the game right way and he will get his points. He is still playing ppg pace at least anyway.

He is not in Fantilli's level but I am having discussions of my top 5 now and top 5 is really stacked as f this year. Right now he is switching places everyday with Michkov and Carlsson in my rankings and I am currently leaning having him at third spot.

Note: I just don't like Michkov & Rotenberg combination in SKA.

 

[Captain97]

I hope the Habs draft this kid, would be great long term on the 2nd line with Dach

 

[tunnelvision]

 

[Bubbles]

Damn, Yager looks like he was gliding out there. The Hitmen doesn't believe in backchecking, lol

 

[Nabrules]

Anyone who watches MJ closely, what’s up with his predestination production? 36 points in 30 games isn’t all that amazing for such a highly toughed guy.

I know points aren’t everything, which leads me to ask how does he actually look out there? Worthy of a top 10 pick?

 

[tunnelvision]

Anyone who watches MJ closely, what’s up with his predestination production? 36 points in 30 games isn’t all that amazing for such a highly toughed guy.

I know points aren’t everything, which leads me to ask how does he actually look out there? Worthy of a top 10 pick?

To your first question, I'm not sure. I watch them regularly, and most nights MJ seem to play worse than what I think they're capable of, even when they've managed to win games they didn't necessarily deserve to win. Kind of frustrating team to watch. Their record isn't as bad if you look at the standings but there are issues in the teamplay that are probably affecting Yager's production. To list a few things I've observed:

- they don't seem to create tons of scoring opportunities at 5vs5 because of rather slow transition game and inability to extend possession time in OZ which would lead to more PPs and scoring chances. Last time checked they were at the bottom of the league in PP Opp/GP.
- lack of depth on the roster. Outside of Yager, Firkus, Korczak, Mateychuk and Wanner there aren't many who can create and support the offense consistently. Yager and Firkus are a fine duo at even strength but they'd obviously need a better LW next to them for the line to become really dangerous.
- Wanner and Mateychuk have the best moving skills of MJ D but neither has helped them as much as I thought they would before the season. Mateychuk for example has picked up points nicely but he isn't as 24/7 involved and activated like he was last year, doesn't join the rush as much. IOW rush offense seems to be more dependent on forwards alone.

Those of course are possible external causes to "underwhelming" production, and for sure there are also things only he has been responsible for. I won't try to guess and name all of them but I'll say that his stickhandling needs refinement. He mishandles and loses pucks on an open ice way too easily, and certainly shouldn't be described as a "can-stickhandle-in-a-phonebooth" type talent who excels in tight spaces and on 1vs1s. For this reason alone I've hesitated to show my support for the Mackinnon comparison I've seen thrown around here.

To your last question, I don't know honestly. Haven't watched enough of other top F prospects yet to really evaluate the full potential and form a more confident opinion. And even if I had watched others I'd probably still wait until the end of season.

 

[BKarchitect]

I’m guilty of simply highlight watching but despite not having eye popping numbers I still love his pro potential. Totally reasonable that he’s got areas to clean up. Just think he has a “pop” to his game that is very natural and that is going to translate really well to todays NHL.

I’d agree just stats watching he hasn’t done enough to ensure a top 5 pick in this draft but I also believe in this draft still as really, really strong and I think a lot of the criticisms prospects are coming in for are just following the regular pattern of prospects coming under more and more scrutiny the closer we get to any particular draft.

If he falls closer to 10 I think somebody is going to have an eventual steal. Kinda like Zegras falling into that zone - not the same type of game but that kind of bargain in that range - he may just need another year in juniors versus guys expected to jump in to the pro game (whether NHL or AHL) right away. But big upside and built for the current NHL. Not at all worried if he comes in at 5-11 1/2 or something which I’m sure people will freak out over at the combine.

 

[landy92mack29]

His production is still good for the WHL but not eye popping. Reasons are mix of Moose Jaw not playing as good as they should be and Yager never has big stat padding games. He consistently puts up 1-2 points but very rarely has the big 3+ point nights. While you would like for him to dominate games more his consistency is probably a better indication of translating to pros vs a bunch of 0 points games with a few 4-5 point nights inflating numbers

 

[MichaelFarrell]

His production is still good for the WHL but not eye popping. Reasons are mix of Moose Jaw not playing as good as they should be and Yager never has big stat padding games. He consistently puts up 1-2 points but very rarely has the big 3+ point nights. While you would like for him to dominate games more his consistency is probably a better indication of translating to pros vs a bunch of 0 points games with a few 4-5 point nights inflating numbers

you’re absolutely right. I’d like to add that you aren’t drafting Yager for who is his today. He’s going to need time to develop but I think he has some of the best tools in the draft class.

 

[Nabrules]

To your first question, I'm not sure. I watch them regularly, and most nights MJ seem to play worse than what I think they're capable of, even when they've managed to win games they didn't necessarily deserve to win. Kind of frustrating team to watch. Their record isn't as bad if you look at the standings but there are issues in the teamplay that are probably affecting Yager's production. To list a few things I've observed:

- they don't seem to create tons of scoring opportunities at 5vs5 because of rather slow transition game and inability to extend possession time in OZ which would lead to more PPs and scoring chances. Last time checked they were at the bottom of the league in PP Opp/GP.
- lack of depth on the roster. Outside of Yager, Firkus, Korczak, Mateychuk and Wanner there aren't many who can create and support the offense consistently. Yager and Firkus are a fine duo at even strength but they'd obviously need a better LW next to them for the line to become really dangerous.
- Wanner and Mateychuk have the best moving skills of MJ D but neither has helped them as much as I thought they would before the season. Mateychuk for example has picked up points nicely but he isn't as 24/7 involved and activated like he was last year, doesn't join the rush as much. IOW rush offense seems to be more dependent on forwards alone.

Those of course are possible external causes to "underwhelming" production, and for sure there are also things only he has been responsible for. I won't try to guess and name all of them but I'll say that his stickhandling needs refinement. He mishandles and loses pucks on an open ice way too easily, and certainly shouldn't be described as a "can-stickhandle-in-a-phonebooth" type talent who excels in tight spaces and on 1vs1s. For this reason alone I've hesitated to show my support for the Mackinnon comparison I've seen thrown around here.

To your last question, I don't know honestly. Haven't watched enough of other top F prospects yet to really evaluate the full potential and form a more confident opinion. And even if I had watched others I'd probably still wait until the end of season.

Great right up, thanks for the info! Look forward to his progression the rest of the way

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Some team will get him 5-10 and they'll be laughing when he's tearing up next year. Hopefully it's the sharks unless we plummet into the bottom 4.

 

[Mister Ed]

I hope he's available when Detroit picks. Reigning CHL rookie of the year, smart all-around player and oozes offensive skill. Also, fun fact, Moose Jaw has two goalies with almost the same last name : Connor Ungar and Jackson Unger.

 

[ponder]

I was pretty high on him coming into this season - unreal shot combined with good all around skills and 2-way play. I thought he was gonna explode this year, but he’s been a bit mediocre. How far do people think he’s fallen? I think outside the top 10, but still within the top 15.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I was pretty high on him coming into this season - unreal shot combined with good all around skills and 2-way play. I thought he was gonna explode this year, but he’s been a bit mediocre. How far do people think he’s fallen? I think outside the top 10, but still within the top 15.

I currently have him at 14, though I will try and schedule at least two more matches of his by year's end. I feel like there is more to give.

There are a lot of posters who still revere him as a top 10, even top 5 player in the draft; I've even seen him at No. 3 in some places. I just don't see it at the moment; even his vaunted two-way play has been overrated in my opinion.

He's got good wheels and he has a great shot, two qualities that leap off the screen. My prognosis: complimentary scorer at the NHL level for the time being.

 

[Lavar Ball]

I was pretty high on him coming into this season - unreal shot combined with good all around skills and 2-way play. However, he’s not having a great draft year. How far do people think he’s fallen? I think outside the top 10, but still within the top 15.

I'd still take him in the back half of the top ten, and he has been quite good in what I have seen this year. I think people are reading too much into the production, which also isn't even that underwhelming. He might not be dominating like some expected but if you watch the kid play his tools scream Top 6 NHLer and he doesn't really have any significant weaknesses in his game. I still think he is the second best prospect out of the WHL

 

[Bubbles]

I mean his stats are actually pretty solid , 18G 25A in 35 games. Definitely too much attention based on his production. He often defers to Firkus who is more of a sniper.

All the tools are there. I think one more season and 20lbs of muscle will do him wonders.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I was pretty high on him coming into this season - unreal shot combined with good all around skills and 2-way play. I thought he was gonna explode this year, but he’s been a bit mediocre. How far do people think he’s fallen? I think outside the top 10, but still within the top 15.

I have Yaeger in the 9-12 range, but it wouldn’t surprise me if someone took Yaeger anywhere from 5 to 20.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Maybe i’m wrong - but I feel these “production“ concerns are overblown - still on pace for an excellent season for a draft eligible.
Most everything you want in an elite prospect is there. I still have him right now top-5, 6 at worse.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Still top 10 for me.