Brayden Yager is the newest member of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Warriors selected the Saskatoon-born forward with the third-overall pick in the 2020 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft on Wednesday morning, and based on what he did with the Saskatoon Contacts this past season, the Tribe could have a future franchise player in their midst.
Yager – who alongside Contacts teammate and Prince George second-round pick Riley Heidt applied for exceptional player status from the WHL but wasn't accepted – scored 18 goals and 42 points in 44 games for Saskatoon in the Sask Midget AAA Hockey League this past season. Two seasons ago with Martensville in the Bantam AA ranks, Yager scored 35 goals and 103 points in only 31 games.
“What drove us to pick Brayden is his speed, hockey IQ, skill level, and compete. Brayden is a perfect example of a 200-foot player who can really shoot the puck and can make plays with the puck,” commented assistant general manager Jason Ripplinger. “Brayden received exceptional status last year to play Midget AAA, and, as a 14-year-old he almost scored 20 goals and was just shy of averaging a point per game. We expect him to come into the lineup and contribute.”
