Jets Insert Red Hot Brayden Yager Into Lineup for Season Debut Against Stars

On Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets announced that highly touted prospect Brayden Yager will make his season debut, playing in just the fourth NHL game of his career.

The 21-year-old was recalled Monday and will get a chance to find the scoresheet for the first time at the NHL level. He will have to do it against a tough opponent, however, as the Dallas Stars have the league's best defense this season with a 1.56 goals against per game average.

Yager arrives on a roll with five goals and four assists for nine points in six games with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL this season. The strong start follows a fairly decent first full pro season in which the Saskatoon native posted 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 68 AHL games.

The 14th overall pick in 2023 appears to have spent the offseason adjusting to the pro level and may finally be ready for his chance at big-league minutes. The timing helps as Winnipeg has started slowly on offense, scoring 24 goals through nine games, a 2.67 goals-per-game average. The addition of a young, confident scorer like Yager could provide a boost of energy.

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