Brayden Yager is a 5'11" center that played for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL where he scored 28 goals and 50 assists in 67 games. After scoring 5 goals and 4 assists in 5 games at the Hlinka Gretzky, Yager came into the season as a top 10 rated player. Prior to that, he had a great season the year before where he scored 34 goals in 63 games. So scouts were pretty dissapointed in his production this year to say the least. One thing that stands out to me when watching Yager is his incredible compete level coupled with a strong 200 foot game. You could throw Yager out there against anybody and he will go to battle. I think his compete level is severely underrated and he does incredibly well while only being 170 lbs. With added muscle, I think he can be a big time player in the NHL. At every level he has played at, he has stepped up big time. In the playoffs, Yager stepped up his game by scoring 6 goals and 10 assists with a +7 in 10 games. I'm sure scouts are docking Yager for a couple reasons. For one, his production didn't improve much and secondly, he is only 5'11" and some think he will get pushed to the wing in the NHL. There are still some scouts out there that believe he is a top 15 player in the draft class (according to the Athletic ). I am going to guess Yager lands anywhere between 14-30. I am more bullish than bearish on Yager and have him around the 15 mark. There is too much high-level compete and skill for me to pass up on him. He also projects well to the NHL level (atleast as a wing).
As a skater, Yager has an above average top speed and a clean stride. When he gets going, he really flies out there. That's only if he gets going. The acceleration that is needed to reach his top speed isn't that great. His first few steps contain below average power and he gets his skating power from his strong cross-overs through his hips. Usually this issue is solved by adding a few lbs of muscle and looking at his size of 170 lbs, he has plenty of room to do so. Knowing this, it worries me a lot less than if he were already filled out. I think his skating overall is closer to above average than below average because his fundamentals and edgework are terrific. Effectively, he uses his edgework to take position against players in dirty areas. So the skating potential is there.
Yagers shot is another huge asset of his. He has a laser beam that he uses to pick corners in motion. When he leans on his outside edge, he generates lots of power on the puck. It shows that he is really good at using weight distribution to efficiently use momentum. When players are tired and don't have enough energy to generate power physically, good weight distribution abilities (like Yager uses) allows for players to still get power on the puck. The big concerns I have with Yager is in his puck skills + offensive instinct area of the game. I don't peg Yager as a high-end offensive magician. He shows glimpses of some high-end skill, but doesn't have the offensive hockey IQ or puck skills for me to classify him as sure-fire top 6 NHL player. If Yager can increase his skill and production, I think he can be the top 6 guy you want. If your team drafts Yager, you are getting a highly competitive two-way c/w that has the potential to be a really good top 6 player.
Below is his Elite Prospects page
Elite Prospect's page for Brayden Yager3/4 Above Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
3/4 Above Average
Below are some sources to look at for visual demonstration;