After a promising professional debut, the sharpshooting center returns to the AHL to bulk up and rediscover the elite offensive production that made him a first-round standout.
When talking about the Winnipeg Jets prospect pipeline, all eyes tend to fall on one name that's been with the organization for a while now in Brayden Yager.
The 21-year-old center has made real strides in his development, having made his professional debut this past season with the Manitoba Moose. Yager appeared in 68 games for the AHL club, recording 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points, while playing heavy top line minutes and centering veterans like Phil Di Giuseppe and Samuel Fagemo.
He also got his first taste of pro playoff hockey, tallying four assists in seven games as Manitoba knocked off the Milwaukee Admirals in the first round before falling to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The former 14th overall back in the 2023 NHL Draft capped off his first pro season with a brief NHL cameo, playing three games with Winnipeg to close out the year but not registering a point.
With Brad Lambert expected to push for a full-time roster spot in Winnipeg next season, some wondered whether Yager might do the same. But Elite Prospects currently has him penciled back into Manitoba's lineup for 2026-27, meaning the Saskatoon native will look to build off his rookie pro campaign for at least another year in the AHL.
The hope for Yager and the Jets is that his offensive numbers start trending back toward what he showed at the junior level. In his final WHL season split between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes, Yager exploded for 25 goals and 57 assists for 82 points in just 54 games, part of a junior career that saw him post 129 goals and 332 points across six WHL seasons.
At his best, scouts have long pointed to Yager's shot as one of the best releases in the Jets' system. However, Yager is still listed at just 170 pounds, and a stronger frame next season could help him hold up better against bigger pro competition and finish more of the plays his vision creates.
For now, another full season in Manitoba looks like the plan as it gives Yager more runway to round out his game before making his push for a permanent spot in Winnipeg.
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