Pittsburgh Penguins select Brayden Yager in first round of 2023 NHL Draft
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.
Welcome to Pittsburgh!
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 29, 2023
With the 14th overall pick in the 2023 #NHLDraft, the Penguins have selected forward Brayden Yager. pic.twitter.com/MpAWK1Py4x
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.