When Brayden Yager is at home in Saskatchewan, it’s all about hockey and golf for Pittsburgh’s 2023 first-round pick. But since returning to Pittsburgh for the Prospects Challenge, he’s gone to baseball and football games alongside Pittsburgh’s 2022 first-round pick, Owen Pickering.
“The football game was Pitt. We were kind of by the student section, and they were just going nuts,” Yager said with a laugh. “It was crazy, but it was sick. The fanbases are pretty electric, so it’s been super fun.”
Soon enough, he’ll get a taste of what it’s like playing in front of the Penguins faithful, as Yager is reporting to Training Camp presented by UPMC after the Prospects Challenge wraps up on Monday. He controlled what he could in the weeks after being drafted 14th overall to work on adding strength – getting in the gym as much as possible and developing a meal plan with Pittsburgh’s performance staff – and has looked terrific at the tournament thus far.
The 18-year-old forward has brought his two-way game to Buffalo, which has impressed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Head Coach J.D. Forrest. “He's a smart player, and for someone his age, he’s playing both sides of the ice with a level of maturity that you don't often see with guys coming through from junior,” Forrest said.
“I think he takes a lot of pride in that up-and-down game and making sure he's responsible on the defensive side of things. But he has the ability to make plays, made a couple of nice slick little passes. The goal he scored (Saturday), he's reloading for a D that's pinching, which is a responsible thing to do. But it pays off on the offensive side for him. We think that’s something impressive for a young player to have already.”
Get to know more about Yager as a player, and get to know more about him as a person through his Player Essentials, listed below.
White sneakers (Vans and Nike Dunks)
I'm into white shoes. They’re kind of in style right now. I think you can wear them anywhere, honestly. You can wear them outdoors or whatever, or I thought with the draft suit, they looked pretty good (laughs). They’re the shoes I wear pretty much all the time. Those were Vans, and I’m starting to get into Dunks. I like those too. I've got a set of beige and white ones.
Lululemon x Bauer
I've got a deal with Bauer and they’re partnered with Lululemon, and it's nice to get a little bit of merch. Usually, their stuff is my go-to Christmas presents for everybody. I love the joggers, the golf shorts and golf shirts. Some of the T-shirts are really nice, too.
Apple Watch
I track my sleep; my steps and stuff during the summer; see the calories I'm burning during a workout. It was gifted to me by Upper Deck, so it’s got their logo on the wristband. I wear this thing everywhere. Probably anywhere north of 13,000 (steps) is pretty good, with a workout, obviously. It's not the end of the world if I don’t get that many steps, but it's nice to know where you’re at in a workout or whatever.
Sterling silver chain-link necklace and bracelet
They were actually gifted to me by my girlfriend a couple of years ago. I wear them everywhere, though usually I take the bracelet off when I play. She got them from this place back home in Saskatoon.
Pillow
In the Dub (Western Hockey League), we're on the bus quite a bit. So, I'd say a laptop is nice to have to watch Netflix or whatever. But I think especially on a bus, a pillow, it’s very crucial. It's hard to get comfy on the bus sometimes. So just stuff the pillow in there and try to get comfortable and fall asleep.
Spittin’ Chiclets podcast
Spittin' Chiclets is super fun to watch. Those guys kind of joke around and stuff, and it's funny with some of the hockey players chirping each other.
Normatech boots
I've got a set at home, and I think it's nice to kind of just lay there and marinate in those. Especially when I was still in school and doing homework. I've also got a massage gun as well, so use that quite a bit.
Yogurt
I love French toast, but I'd say recently if I’m snackish, I’ll either have yogurt or a protein shake. I hate cottage cheese, but my mom found this recipe on Pinterest and made this one meal that’s like Greek yogurt, but it’s actually made with cottage cheese. There’s no way I would have touched it if you told me there was cottage cheese in it, but I actually loved it.
