Brayden Yager excited for opportunity with Lethbridge Hurricanes

Brayden Yager was preparing with his Moose Jaw Warrior teammates for a showdown with the Lethbridge Hurricanes this week.

But on Monday, those teammates became the opposition as the 19-year-old Saskatoon product was dealt to the Hurricanes in a blockbuster deal.

“It’s been a wild 48 hours for sure. It’s exciting. It’s kind of emotional leaving all the boys and a team I have been with for five years but super excited moving forward with the group of guys here in Lethbridge and the team that we can do something pretty special with,” the forward told Jamie and Locker on The Green Zone.

Listen to Brayden Yager on The Green Zone:

Yager and goaltender Jackson Unger were traded from Moose Jaw to Lethbridge for three players and six picks. Both played against the Warriors on Tuesday in Lethbridge colours. The Hurricanes won 5-3 with Yager scoring an empty-net goal and Unger making 18 saves.

“The biggest thing with the coaching staff was to just go out and play. Pretty special night for Unger and I to play against our former team right away. The message was just to go and play. It was a special night,” Yager said.

Yager was in his fifth season with the Warriors and both he and Unger were key pieces as the franchise won the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history.

But after a 6-16-3-1 start to the season, the Warriors are set to rebuild and made the trade to help kickstart that process.

Yager said he and Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger had discussions about a future trade throughout the season.

“Rip was great. I talked to him quite a few times. Super thankful he was able to put me in a good spot with a great organization and a great staff and I couldn’t be happier with how it went,” Yager said. “It was a little bit surprising once you hear it but talking to him and having conversations with him over the first half of the year so that made it easier.”

“It’s definitely hit me the last couple of months. I understand it – that’s how junior hockey works. Some pretty special guys on our team last year that aged out and are playing in the American Hockey League… It comes to be a rebuild phase. I think that’s just how junior hockey works. We were fortunate to have the run we did and win with a special group. It’s pretty fortunate for me that I get another chance to go for another one.”

This wasn’t the first time Yager had seen his name involved in a trade after his NHL rights were dealt by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Winnipeg Jets.

Yager attending the World Juniors selection camp

While he is focused on helping Lethbridge go on a run this WHL season, Yager’s attention is also on the World Juniors hockey tournament.

The tournament begins on Boxing Day and Yager was one of the skaters invited to Canada’s world juniors selection camp.

“It’s a huge honour to get invited to camp. It’s the best players in the country in our age group. It’s pretty special to be invited to that. Last year was pretty high-paced right from the start,” Yager said.

He is one of five Saskatchewan players who are attending the camp along with defenceman Caden Price (Kelowna Rockets) and forwards Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars), Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs) and Tanner Howe (Calgary Hitmen).

Yager, Heidt, Price and Catton were all teammates on the Saskatoon Contacts growing up.

“We’re familiar with each other and train every day in the summer and skate together so a pretty special group out of Saskatchewan. It would be awesome if we all made it and got to represent our country,” Yager said.

Yager was on the Canadian team last year that fell short of the lofty expectations in Gothenburg, Sweden. Canada finished in fifth place, not even playing for a medal on the final day.

“There’s definitely a bitter taste in our mouth for sure. When you think of Hockey Canada and from my experience preparing for the tournament anything short of gold is a failure. Even talking to some of the management this year, it’s all about preparing to win a gold medal and we are going to do everything we can to achieve that,” Yager said.

And he’s excited to play in front of a home crowd in Ottawa during this year’s tournament.

“It’s an honour to wear the maple leaf wherever you are but it brings a whole new energy to wear it in your country. Watching the tournament in Halifax a couple of years ago, you know the building is just electric. I can’t wait for the opportunity to experience that,” Yager said.

All of Canada’s World Juniors games will be broadcast live on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM.