Warriors alternate captain Yager building towards role with Pittsburgh Penguins

Moose Jaw, Sask.- What’s more nerve-wracking?

Competing at the Memorial Cup for the first time in franchise history or suiting up alongside your idol in your first NHL camp?

It’s a tough call for Brayden Yager.

But the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect says his experience with Sidney Crosby and company has helped prepare him for the intensity of the WHL Playoffs and beyond.

“I think the biggest thing I learned about high-intensity moments was to trust in your preparation,” Yager said of his takeaways from the 2023 camp. “Believe that you’ve done everything you can to prepare for a big game, and now that you’ve done the preparation, you can just go and play your game with less stress and more energy.”

Hey, it’s paid off so far.

The 19-year-old is fresh off of helping the Moose Jaw Warriors clinch the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history, and on Wednesday, he’ll board a plane to travel to Saginaw, Mich. to take part in the 2024 Memorial Cup.

Yager finished third among WHL skaters in postseason scoring with 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points and a +10 rating in 20 games, highlighted by an overtime winner in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Championship against the Saskatoon Blades and two multi-point efforts in Games 2 and 3 of the WHL Championship Series.

“Brayden impacts each game in all areas,” Warriors Head Coach Mark O’Leary explained. “Whether it’s five-on-five, the power play or the penalty kill, he takes pride in the details and executing. Overall though, I’d say the part of his game that’s developed the most is his play below the dots in both zones. It was something he wanted to improve coming into the season, and there’s no question he’s done that. Whether it’s checking one-on-one in the defensive zone using his stick and his feet, or it’s in the o-zone getting over the top of pucks to protect it before making plays with his feet or puck skills, it’s come a long way and it’s just an example of why I consider him a 200-foot player.”

The Saskatoon, Sask. product has captured the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player in back-to-back seasons and also snagged CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2022.

Pittsburgh selected Yager 14th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and has worked hard with the 6-foot, 170-pound forward ever since.

“Face-offs is a big one,” Yager said of the part of his game that’s developed the most over the past season. “Got the chance to play some exhibition games with them (Pittsburgh) at the start of the year and face-offs were a little tougher with the big strong guys. I’d say that’s one big one. And I think, you know, just d-zone in general. Communication is a huge thing. I think just being on the right side of the puck and you’re creating offense from my own end is going to be huge.”

He also got to take in a Penguins game against the Kraken in Seattle during the Warriors’ U.S. Division road trip on February 29.

“Watching the Pens/Kraken game was awesome,” Yager added. “As cool as it was to watch some of my favorite players, at the same time it’s hard to watch and not wish you were out there with them. It definitely kind of gave me a spark to want to get to that level.”

It may be closer than he thinks.

Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas told reporters at his season-end availability that Yager would have been called up to the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins if Moose Jaw was eliminated from the WHL Playoffs and he expects the youngster to make a mark at training camp.

“I expect those two younger kids, Yager and (Swift Current Broncos defenceman Owen) Pickering, to push,” Dubas said. “Have a huge summer. Assert yourself. We’ve shown here in this last stretch that if you’re a young player and you’re willing to push through the summer, you’ve got a massive opportunity. You can have a shot here with us- and that’s what we need desperately.”

It’s an exciting prospect as Yager pushes closer and closer to his childhood dream.

But he can’t lose focus now with the Warriors making tracks for Saginaw.

“I’m not thinking too far ahead here,” Yager said. “I think my play here can definitely set something in their mind. I know they’re watching and giving me pointers, but the main focus is to just do the best I can to contribute here and help my team win.”

“We’ve been preparing for this since we won. The last couple days is starting to shift our focus from all the celebrating to now we’re getting ready for the biggest tournament. We’ve got one more one more trophy to win.”

Moose Jaw opens the tournament against the host Saginaw Spirit at the DOW Event Center on Friday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. MST.

A WHL team has not lifted the Memorial Cup since the Edmonton Oil Kings prevailed as CHL Champions in 2014.

Every 2024 Memorial Cup match will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be livestreamed on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app.

For fans in the United States, the 2024 Memorial Cup will be available on the NHL Network.

Outside of North America, fans can catch every second of the action on CHL TV.