Penguins’ Top Pick Brayden Yager Wins Championship

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Brayden Yager had an explosive playoff run, and the Moose Jaw Warriors sliced through the WHL playoffs, culminating in a WHL championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.

Yager was a primary driver of Moose Jaw’s attack, scoring 11 goals with 27 points in 20 playoff games. The center was the Penguins’ 2023 first-round pick (14th overall) and finished third in playoff scoring. Yager trailed only teammates Denton Mateychuk (12th overall, 2022 pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets) and Jagger Firkus (35th overall, 2022 pick Seattle Kraken).

Read More: Learning From a Legend, Crosby Schools Yager 

The Memorial Cup will be held in Saginaw, Michigan from May 24-June 2. For Penguins fans who might be unfamiliar, it is a round-robin tournament featuring the three winners of the Canadian Hockey League major junior titles (OHL, WHL, QMJHL) and the host team.

London won the OHL title, and Drummondville won the QMJHL.

In the regular season, Yager finished with a career-high in goals and points, scoring 35 goals and 95 points. He also represented Team Canada at the 2024 World Juniors, scoring three goals and five points in five games.