On August 22, the Pittsburgh Penguins traded their top prospect, Brayden Yager, to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Rutger McGroarty.
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Yager was the Penguins’ top draft pick in 2023 (14th overall) and spent parts of four seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL.
This year, he got a shot with the Jets at their training camp, dressing for two NHL pre-season games. In his first contest on September 21, he picked up an assist, his first “unofficial” NHL point while skating 15:20.
Yager didn’t dress in Winnipeg’s second or third contests, instead drawing into the lineup on September 27. He scored his first professional goal in the third period, thanks to a feed from Alex Iafallo and Dylan Coghlan.
After his goal, Yager didn’t dress in either of the Jets’ remaining games on October 2 and 4; he headed west to Moose Jaw to rejoin the Warriors.
In two games thus far in WHL action, Yager has netted five points thanks to three goals and two assists. He had two goals in the season opener against Lethbridge (L 4-3), following up that performance with a goal and two assists against Medicine Hat (W 6-3).
Related: 5 Things to Know About Penguins Prospect Rutger McGroarty
Because Yager is 19, he’s ineligible to play with the Manitoba Moose, the Jets’ AHL affiliate. Because he didn’t stay with the Jets, he had to report to Moose Jaw.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the jury is still out on whether 20-year-old McGroarty will stay with the NHL club or get to hon his skills in Wilkes-Barre Scranton.
In six pre-season games, he scored one goal and had five assists for six points while finishing plus-7. McGroarty averaged 16:13 a game with ten shots and six hits.
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