The Prairies follow Yager in trade to the Jets
Photo credit: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Winnipeg Jets acquired much more than just Brayden Yager on Thursday in a deal that sent Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Turns out a segment of the Prairies may be coming our way along with the Saskatoon-born skater.
"I've gotten tons of texts. My mom and dad are super excited. My billet family in Moose Jaw. So many cousins and friends and family friends from different areas around Saskatchewan and Alberta, everyone is pretty excited to be able to come and watch games," Yager told the Free Press on Friday.
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Yager, 19, says he's pumped, too, even if his initial reaction brought about a slightly different reaction.
"It was kind of a shocker," he admitted.
"I answered the phone and (Penguins general manager) Kyle Dubas told me I had been involved in a trade. You don't really know what to say. But the more you think about it, having it be to Winnipeg, the more excited you get."
His phone also lit up with texts from Jets captain Adam Lowry and alternates Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey.
"They made me feel pretty welcome. That was pretty awesome."
Parting ways with Yager, selected 14th-overall by Pittsburgh in 2023, was a tough pill to swallow for the Penguins. But you have to move quality to get quality, and the chance to land the disgruntled McGroarty from Winnipeg - he had indicated he wouldn't be signing with the club that selected him 14th-overall in 2022 for undisclosed reasons - did the trick.
Now the focus in Winnipeg shifts to Yager, who tore up the Western Hockey League last season with 95 points (35 goals, 60 assists) in 57 regular-season games with the Moose Jaw Warriors, then added 27 points (11G, 16A) in 20 playoff games for the league champions.
"It was a really successful year. As a group it was really cool to kind of grow up together starting from the COVID year and go through the adversity of losing in the playoffs two years in a row to kind of pushing through it and winning the championship."
At 19, Yager isn't eligible to play in the American Hockey League, so it's either the NHL or back to junior.
"The goal is to come into camp ready to make the NHL."
"Make an impact on the team and try to help the team win. Coming into this summer, the goal was to do as much as I can, get as many gains as I can to prepare myself to play against men, and I think I've done a pretty good job of that."
Adding a bit more bulk to his 5-foot-11 frame has been a goal, and he's now sitting around 180 pounds.
"In the NHL you're playing against some good, strong players," he added. "I think gaining weight while still maintaining your speed is the biggest thing. I think I've done a pretty good job of that. I feel really good on the ice. I'm excited to get to camp and try to make the staff's decision a hard one."
Yager spoke on whom he's looked up to in the league, Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Brayden Point, who also played with Moose Jaw prior to getting drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"We're kind of the same height and weight. Hard-working player, can score goals and is fast and thinks the game really well. I think that's a player I can emulate my game after really well."
"I think this past season, the experience I've gained in the playoffs and Memorial Cup. I think if I can come into camp and show that I can help the team win, then I think I'll set myself up for success."
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, spoke Thursday with media, envisioned a scenario on how his team will look with the youth movement.
"There's a lot of good players and young prospects in the organization, and obviously a lot of good young players on the team. It's an exciting environment to be able to join."
| POLL | ||
23 AOUT | 188 ANSWERS The Prairies follow Yager in trade to the Jets Did the Jets win the trade in acquiring Brayden Yager? | ||
| YES | 175 | 93.1 % |
| NO | 13 | 6.9 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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