CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Brayden Yager has a clear goal in mind for training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins in September.
“First thing that comes to mind is I want to make the team here in Pittsburgh,” the 19-year-old forward prospect said during Penguins development camp last month.
Selected by Pittsburgh with the No. 14 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Yager had 95 points (35 goals, 60 assists) in 57 regular-season games and 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 20 playoff games to help Moose Jaw win the Western Hockey League championship last season.
Because of that experience, Yager, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Pittsburgh on July 25, feels prepared to make another step to the NHL.
“I think I can be ready to play,” Yager said. “I want to come to main camp with the mentality that I’m going to make the team and be comfortable with working my hardest and battling against some of the best players on the team. Just coming in with the mindset that I want to make the team.”
It’s far from inevitable, but it is possible.
“I think so. I would never want to limit a young player’s ability to make the team,” Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza said. “So, he controls that in terms of how he shows up and how he plays. But we saw great growth as far as his ability to play tough matchups. I think when a team goes on a run and wins like they did (in the WHL), I think that’s a great stress test for a young player.”
More growth, literally, is still needed. For the past year, Yager (6-foot, 170 pounds) has worked to add size that could help on face-offs, especially in the defensive zone.
“It was nice; Pittsburgh sent training coaches down to Moose Jaw,” Yager said. “I got to spend some time with them and learn as much as I can on how to maintain my body weight and still get stronger throughout the year.”
That partially led to an increase in production last season. Yager’s 95 points were up from 78 (28 goals, 50 assists) in 67 games for Moose Jaw the previous season and 59 (34 goals, 25 assists) in 63 games in 2021-22.
Yager said it has been a natural progression he hopes will continue with an NHL roster spot with the Penguins.
“I think you get better every year. You try to improve as much as you can,” Yager said. “Obviously, playing with some pretty good players; they’re improving as well. But yeah, I think just getting bigger and stronger, feeling more comfortable, being a year older, all that kind of stuff kind of plays into getting better every year.
“I try to take a lot of pride in really doing whatever I can to get better as a player. I [think], so far, I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”
