Pittsburgh Penguins select Brayden Yager in first round of 2023 NHL Draft

Ireland Contracting Nightly Sports Call: June 26, 2023 (Pt. 1)

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The pick is in.

With the No. 14 overall pick in Wednesday's 2023 NHL Draft, the Penguins selected forward Brayden Yager. The 18-year-old is from the Western Hockey League's Moose Jaw Warriors. 

The 5-11, 170-pound forward played in 67 games during the 2022-23 season, scoring 28 goals and tallying 50 assists. The right-hander is from Saskatchewan, Canada.

Yager was the first pick of President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas' tenure.   

CBS Sports' Chris Bengel provided a breakdown of the pick:

"Yager is an elite playmaker that uses his quickness to chase down loose pucks. He is a versatile playmaker that can play up the middle or on the wing. Yager is coming off of a 78-point season (28 goals & 50 assists) in 67 games for the Western Hockey League's Moose Jaw Warriors, while also winning the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the WHL's Most Sportsmanslike Player in 2022-23. His 78 points were second on the Warriors behind only Seattle Kraken 2022 second-round pick Jagger Firkus. The Penguins added another electric forward that can learn under one of the all-time greats in Sidney Crosby. "

The last time the team had the No. 14 selection, the Penguins drafted forward Ron Snell in 1968. 

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