If recent history is any indication, Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Yager will be a top 10 National Hockey League draft pick when the event takes place in Nashville this June.
Yager was listed as fifth among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s midterm rankings released on Thursday, with players sitting in that position having gone either ninth or 10th overall in the last five drafts.
Pavel Mintyukov of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit went 10th overall to Anaheim in 2022, Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings ninth overall to Arizona in 2021, Marco Rossi of the OHL Ottawa 67s ninth overall to Minnesota in 2020, Alex Turcotte of the U.S. National U18s ninth overall to Minnesota in 2019 and Evan Bouchard of the OHL London Knights 10th overall to Edmonton in 2018.
All were ranked fifth in North America in the midterm,
None of this should come as a surprise, as Yager has been high on NHL scouts' radar throughout his time in the WHL. That’s thanks to his 34 goals and 59 points last season -- which led to Yager being named the CHL Rookie of the Year -- and his stellar start to the 2022-23 campaign with 18 goals and 50 points in the first 40 games.
The Prince Albert product isn’t the only Moose Jaw Warrior with NHL eyes on him.
Fellow CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game selection Jackson Unger is ranked 17th among North American goaltenders which makes him a long shot to hear his name called during the June 28 weekend.
Former Team Canada World Junior goaltender Devon Levi was the last player at that ranking to be selected, going in the seventh round, 212th overall to the Florida Panthers in the 2020 Draft. The year prior, Mack Guzda from the OHL Barrie Colts went undrafted but later that summer signed with the Panthers as a free agent.
A total of 51 WHL players are listed in mid-term rankings, including 10 in the top 30.
Regina Pats superstar Connor Bedard is naturally the top-ranked player and the consensus first-overall pick after his incredible World Juniors showing; Zach Benson (Winnipeg, seventh) and Samuel Honzek (Vancouver, nine) are other WHLers listed in the top 10.
Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Carson Bjarnason is the top-ranked goaltender, with Seattle’s Scott Ratzlaff (sixth) and Tri-City’s Tomas Suchanek also cracking the top 10.
Seattle and Vancouver lead all WHL teams with five players listed.
Former Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors and current Brandon defenceman Quinn Mantei is ranked 153rd overall.
The first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft takes place on Wednesday, June 28, with the remaining rounds running Thursday, June 29.
For a full list from the mid-term rankings, be sure to visit www.nhl.com.
