Best case scenario at this point is we have 2 young centers in Lambert and Yager that develop well at the NHL level and take on future top 6 roles.
Confirmed with Link: Rutger McGroarty to Pittsburgh for Brayden Yager
- Thread starter gojetsgo
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Lance Uppercut
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Considering he's a RS centre prospect, if he approaches any of Little, Wyatt Johnston or Robert Thomas in terms of growth of his game, I'd be thrilled. Obviously Thomas has grown into a PPG+ player for the Blues, so that would be an absolute dream. But Yager's junior stat profile and his frame and skillset are near to these three players.
I also don't mind the Trocheck comparison either.
Buffdog
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- Feb 13, 2019
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I made a post a while back at the start of this that the amount of enthusiasm he showed at dev camp couldn't be fake unless the kid was a sociopath
Know we know
nobody imp0rtant
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- May 23, 2018
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One of those statements is believable, and one is inconceivable.
I remember that, it seems to be a scary possibility. It just feels good that this drama is behind us and we got a high end prospect that joins our prospect pool.
Arthur Fonzarelli
"aaaaay"
In more recent news, Scott Wheeler ranked him as the 58th best prospect.
"Yager has been on the radar in western Canada for a long time, and he’s got some real pedigree to his profile and cachet to his game to support it. He was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. He was the CHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). He was an alternate captain and second-leading scorer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was Canada’s second-leading scorer at the world juniors. And he has been an alternate captain and one of Moose Jaw’s leading scorers for two consecutive seasons now, which included centering their first line to a WHL title with 49 goals and 128 points in 81 games split between the regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup this year.
His actual statistical profile is good without being great (it was also helped by a strong 16-in-10 playoffs with the Warriors two springs ago now). Still, he has been a consistent offensive player for Moose Jaw while playing a detail-oriented off-puck game (he’s also a dangerous and active penalty killer and is decent in the faceoff circle).
Yager plays a threatening, attacking game with skill in straight lines and in cutting sequences in transition. He’s got smooth-skating mechanics. He’s dangerous inside the offensive zone from the top of the circles in with a quick-release wrister that comes off of his blade hard and with a slight, goalie-fooling adjustment pre-shot. He’s got good puck skill in congested areas, an ability to attack in bursts and make something happen out of dead plays, and an equal ability to play off of coverage and make himself available as a shooter for his linemates.
He’s a natural scorer and creator who plays a direct style, but he’s also got plus vision and deft touch (though I wouldn’t say his creativity is necessarily a strength). I like the way he supports the puck defensively as a centerman, though he’ll need to continue to get stronger to be as reliable defensively at the NHL level as he is in junior. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the center position long-term. He plays with jump and pace, using his skating to get to loose pucks and get free in transition. He’s got the smarts and the instincts. I like his work rate. I don’t think he’s going to become a star, but he’s got 2C and PP upside if he can continue to get strong and continue to add dimension."
- The Athletic (July 16, 2024)
By comparison Mcgroatty was 33rd.
"McGroarty’s one of those kids who just looks like a pro hockey player. If he walked into an NHL dressing room tomorrow, he would stand as strong as some in it. Then you add in the charisma that made him the natural choice for the captaincy at the U.S. NTDP and with last year’s gold medal-winning world junior team, and the light and energy that oozes out of him, and you have to be careful not to put too much stock into the off-ice pieces of the puzzle that he already appears to have figured out. But I think he’s a darn good hockey player and the pieces of the puzzle fit together nicely on the ice as well.
He’s a better skater (it doesn’t look the prettiest through his first few steps, but there’s some power when he gets going nonetheless) than he gets credit for and his spatial awareness, reads and effort level help him avoid losing short races. He’s got great hands and feel on the puck as a passer. His finishing touch around the net is there in spades, with a hard one-touch shot that he leverages his strong frame to power through when he gets open in the slot. He has always been a sneaky-good facilitator who passes the puck really well and can hold it.
He has particularly mastered the net drive into a high rotation away from coverage that brings him back to around the net. And then when he gets there, he’s got the strength to shoot from bad postures/off balance. He always seems to put his shots into good locations (along the ice, low blocker, high short side), too. He’s dexterous. He’s a tone setter. I’m a big fan.
The ice normally tilts in his favour, he’s such a smart player, he can score, he works, and he just understands where to be out there and how to put himself in positions to create offense. He has also reinforced his strong statistical profile from the NTDP at Michigan, where he was a point-per-game freshman and played to nearly 1.5 points per game as a sophomore last year despite a pretty severe injury in the fall (a broken rib and punctured lung).
If he can get a little quicker from the jump, he’s got all of the other makings of a legitimate top-nine forward who can play up and down a lineup with a variety of player types. He’s going to have a long career as a second-liner, I’d expect. I think he’s ready for pro, too."
He’s a natural scorer and creator who plays a direct style, but he’s also got plus vision and deft touch (though I wouldn’t say his creativity is necessarily a strength). I like the way he supports the puck defensively as a centerman, though he’ll need to continue to get stronger to be as reliable defensively at the NHL level as he is in junior. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the center position long-term. He plays with jump and pace, using his skating to get to loose pucks and get free in transition. He’s got the smarts and the instincts. I like his work rate. I don’t think he’s going to become a star, but he’s got 2C and PP upside if he can continue to get strong and continue to add dimension."
- The Athletic (July 16, 2024)
Both are considered Tier 4 prospects. Next year, 23 prospects ranked above Yager will graduate from Wheeler's annual list. Simply treading water this season will have Yager moved up to where Rutger was rated this season in 2025.
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Turin
Erik Karlsson is good
- Feb 27, 2018
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As a Pens fan who lives in Manitoba this trade is a pretty clear W for both teams. Chevy always does well in these situations.
- Jun 10, 2014
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OK, toxic might be a poor choice of words.
But that problem hints to me of other troubles down the line. I'm not sure what makes a player a toxic influence in the room but a 'me first' attitude is a likely suspect.
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We don't know anything for certain then.
We heard that he repeated those unconfirmed demands to prospective trade partners too. Also unconfirmed.
All that we know for certain is that he refused to sign with Jets this year and was subsequently traded to Pens, where he signed immediately. Everything else is unconfirmed rumour because we haven't gotten it directly from the horses mouth.
gojetsgo
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first of all, we heard from one source and I use source very loosely because it was some random fan made blog that for some reason you and another poster want to take seriously that he demanded top6/pp time, the rest of the media said he wanted to play in the nhl
today chevy came out and said he had no conversations about assurances so I do think we can say for certain that that blog was wrong
sipowicz
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Wow, Chevy moves like Yager dumping McGruberoaty for a Western Canada kid with more potential!
- Jun 10, 2014
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Fair enough.
That begs the question then of what Chevy's conversations were about, if not assurances.
gojetsgo
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he said he was just told "it doesn't feel like" he asked a bunch of questions but couldn't get an answer to why he wanted out
kylbaz
Winnipeg <3
Yager was surrounded with high end talent last year. It will be interesting to see how he does when he isn't.
WolfHouse
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- Oct 4, 2020
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Wonder what Barlow thinks after being insta-buddies with McGro in dev camp and now finding out that dev camp is what soured mcgro on the Jets...
<Barlow breathes into hand and sniffs to check for bad breath>
<Barlow breathes into hand and sniffs to check for bad breath>
If Sip approves of the trade, must be very solid for the Jets
Arthur Fonzarelli
"aaaaay"
I referenced the Athletic in my last post. Were you to look at their recent top 100 from just 30 days ago, Lambert is ranked 57th. Yager is 58th.
So were we to place Yager into our boards prospect ranks, it would be 1A or 1B like many here are suggesting.
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The same can be said about McGroarty on Michigan.
WolfHouse
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26-27 season...
Barlow Scheif Volare
KC Lambert Ehlers
Rashevsky Yager Loosh
Barron Lowry Chibs
JMo Salmon
Sammy DD
Freij Heinola?
Helle Milic
Barlow Scheif Volare
KC Lambert Ehlers
Rashevsky Yager Loosh
Barron Lowry Chibs
JMo Salmon
Sammy DD
Freij Heinola?
Helle Milic
I know fans want the truth but Chevy has to keep that between he and the agent/player. He knows the jets are small market Canadian team. Does the organization no good to slam the player.
Definitely something from the player side. These college kids seem to want something.
hockeyarena
Registered User
I watched chevys interview and u can just feel his frustration. Imagine being a kid growing up in western canada and just outright refusing to play for the team that drafted you to the national hockey league and giving no reason. Unreal and pathetic, hope we verbally destroy him every single game.
Agreed, the possibility exists that if Scheifele and Helly can maintain their play into their mid 30's we can have a strong couple years of contention if our young players develop well. We likely need another higher end D prospect unless all of Salo, Freij and Heinola maximize their potential.
hockeyarena
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Is it sad that I look up every players agent now when we acquire them? We're safe with Yags.
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