Yager sets Warriors franchise mark
Brayden Yager didn’t set out this season to break records, but that’s exactly what the Moose Jaw Warriors’ rookie has accomplished.
With his first goal on Tuesday night in Brandon, Yager set a new franchise record for goals by a 16-year-old, breaking Theo Fleury’s record of 29, which had stood since the 1984-85 season.
“It’s definitely something I didn’t really know about coming into the season, but as it came up into the media, it caught my attention… It became a goal for me and it felt really good getting it,” Yager said on breaking the 37-year-old record.
The goal came late in the first period, Yager broke down the wing and wired a shot that was out of the net as fast as it went in.
“It was four-on-four and I saw [Majid Kaddoura] coming up and a little bit of room up the right side, so I started hustling and he made a nice pass, threw it into an area for to skate into, I had a step on the d-man and I decided to shoot the puck and it ended up going in, so it felt really good,” he said.
Slow it down and watch Brayden Yager do something that hasn't been done in Warriors' history!#AllInTogether | @yages29 pic.twitter.com/n6KFAXGolU
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) March 16, 2022
Yager added another goal later in Tuesday’s 7-1 win over the Wheat Kings to bring his season total to 31 goals in 55 games.
The Saskatoon product said to take down one of Fleury’s numerous franchise records is a special feeling.
“He had such legendary career, it means a lot coming from such a great hockey inspiration, so it’s kind of shocking to see that he reached out and it meant a lot,” Yager said.
Yager has scored in bunches this season with two hat tricks and eight multi-goal games. He currently has six goals in his last five games.
Yager said he started to believe he could break the record after getting his second hat trick of the season on Feb. 12.
“When I passed Brayden Point [who sat second with 24 goals in 2012-13], it felt pretty good and gave me a lot of momentum,” he said.
Point is one of Yager’s favourite players, so he said to move past him on the Warriors’ all-time list was a special moment.
“You look at the things he’s done, he’s won Stanley Cups and all that great stuff, so it’s pretty cool to pass such a player,” Yager said.
With 53 points this season, Yager sits third on the Warriors’ all-time list for points by a 16-year-old. He trails Chad Hinz by one point and is 22 points back of Fleury’s franchise record.
He said he isn’t thinking about that record right now and is focused on getting the Warriors into the post-season.
“I put the most pressure on myself,” he said. “Heading into playoffs, it’s getting pretty tight checking and so we’re going to try and keep a similar game and hopefully keep buzzing here.”
Yager and the Warriors return to the ice coming up on Saturday night when they host the Regina Pats for the 10th annual Snowbirds Night at Mosaic Place.
