NEWSLETTER
We’re a long way away from the 2023 NHL Draft, but it’s been clear for months now that the Blackhawks — and other NHL teams — have circled next summer’s draft as a moment when many organizations can change their trajectories.
Next year’s draft is supposedly one of the deepest in years; it’s drawn comparisons to the 2003 NHL Draft that will likely end up with a handful of players headed to the Hockey Hall of Fame (hopefully including the Blackhawks’ top pick that year, Brent Seabrook).
Chicago looks to have a very good chance of landing the top pick, which would figure to be Connor Bedard. But what happens if the Blackhawks don’t win the lottery and wind up second, third or worse?
Thankfully there are other very good players to consider with picks that follow the top spot. We’ve already looked at the potential of University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli and Russian forward Matvei Michkov. After Bedard, the next two picks figure to be those two forwards, though Michkov does come with significant questions.
If the Blackhawks somehow end up with the third or fourth pick, there are other players they’ll need to keep an eye on between now and the draft. So let’s discuss another young center: Brayden Yager.
Yager is consistently ranked among the top-ten prospects for next year’s draft, and many believe he’ll be a top-five pick when the names are called in Nashville next year.
“He is a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft,” director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr told NHL.com at the end of July. “He has NHL speed and quickness combined with a rocket of a shot, which makes him a scoring threat and difference-maker whenever he steps onto the ice. A very smart and highly skilled center, he plays bigger than his size and competes with his skills and assets to be an impact player.”
Scott Wheeler at The Athletic ranked Yager seventh in his early 2023 NHL Draft prospect rankings. Here’s what he had to say about Yager’s game in the breakdown:
He’s a ton of fun to watch, with a threatening, attacking, puck-dominant game and a highlight-reel quality to his skill in straight lines and in cutting sequences in transition. He’s also dangerous inside the offensive zone from the top of the circles in, with a quick-release wrister that comes off of his blade hard and with a slight, goalie-fooling adjustment pre-shot, impressive puck skill in congested areas, an ability to attack in bursts and make something happen out of dead plays, an equal ability to play off of coverage and make himself available for his linemates. He’s a natural scorer and creator, but he’s also got impressive vision and deft touch (though I wouldn’t say his creativity is necessarily a strength). I like the way he supports the puck defensively, too. He’s very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at his natural centre position long term.
Like Fantilli, Yager projects as a potential top-line center in the NHL. He doesn’t come with the same size as Fantilli, though; Yager was listed on Canada’s roster at 5-11 and 193 pounds for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this year.
For the sake of comparison, Frank Nazar — whom the Blackhawks selected with the 13th overall pick in 2022 — is listed at 5-10 and 175 pounds. He, too, plays center (and will be with Fantilli at Michigan this coming season).
McKeen’s early pre-draft rankings had Yager ninth overall, but noted that he has a strong likelihood of being a top-five pick next summer. Here’s some of what they had to say about his game:
Yager was excellent this past season. His 34 goals were the second most by a U17 player in the WHL behind Connor Bedard and the second most in the last 25 years in the WHL (again…behind Bedard)…
Yager, like many of the other talented pivots on this list, is a potentially dominant two-way force. A comparison between his game and Adam Fantilli’s could definitely be made, as both are already so good at using their speed and strength to drive the net. Yager competes hard off the puck. He has a tremendous shot and scoring instincts. He shows great awareness in all three zones. As mentioned, he is someone who doesn’t really have a weakness. A strong offseason conditioning program hopefully allowed Yager to add bulk/muscle to his frame, allowing him to be even more dominant physically.
So let’s step back for a moment and, again, consider what Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson has shown us he values in players to build the future of the franchise. Words we constantly hear from the front office are “speed” and “compete.”
When you read the McKeen breakdown, you see the word compete. His skating is also a strength, as is his hockey IQ. And McKeen goes as far as to directly compare Yager to Fantilli — who, again, is considered a lock for a top-three selection.
The Hockey News had Yager as their No. 4 overall prospect in their early draft rankings. THN, like others, noted that the WHL is stacked with elite talent this year so prospects — like Yager and Bedard — will be scouted against other players who are considered top-level draft prospects. Moose Jaw has consistently produced NHL players over the years and Yager will be their top prospect in the coming season.
Yager has been on the map for a while, much like Bedard. He was the third overall pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and earned CHL Rookie of the Year recognition this past season. He also wore an “A” for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this year, a show of responsibility and leadership on a very good Canada roster.
Should the Blackhawks fall out of the top two or three spots, Yager could be a strong consideration for Davidson’s front office. So keep an eye on Moose Jaw this season if you’re intrigued by the Blackhawks’ options with their top pick in next year’s draft.
