Jets’ Brayden Yager Invited to 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase

Winnipeg Jets’ prospect Brayden Yager has been invited to the 2025 National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Rookie Showcase.

The showcase will take place on Sept. 3 at the Washington Capitals’ practice facility in Arlington, Virginia. It is a chance for Upper Deck, the official trading card partner of the NHLPA and NHL, to take photos and videos for upcoming hockey cards and other promotional content this season and beyond. The event is closed to the public.

Yager Set to Turn Pro After Dominant 2024-25 in Juniors

Yager, a right-shooting centre, was undeniably one of the Western Hockey League’s premier players last season and has true NHL star potential. After being traded to the Lethbridge Hurricanes by the Moose Jaw Warriors in early December, he recorded 52 points (14 goals, 38 assists) in just 33 games.

He was serving as Warriors captain at the time of the trade and had 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 21 games with them before being dealt. After finishing with a 82 points between the clubs in 54 games, he added eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 16 playoff games, but the Hurricanes were swept in the third round by the Medicine Hat Tigers. He also repeated as the Canadian Hockey League’s Sportsmanlike Player of the Year.

Yager also captained Canada’s squad at the 2025 World Junior Championships and recorded three assists in five games. Unfortunately, Canada had another disappointing showing and was ousted in the quarterfinal by Czechia for the second-straight tournament.

The Jets acquired the 2023 14th-overall pick last summer from the Pittsburgh Penguins for disgruntled 2022 first-rounder Rutger McGroarty. At 20, he has aged out of juniors and will start 2025-26 with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League. While a natural centre, there’s a good chance he could be deployed on the wing early in his professional career as wing carries less responsibility than centre.