Jets Prospect Eliminated Early At The World Juniors; Named One Of The Three Best Players On Canada

Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager and Team Canada were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the World Juniors, but he was named one of Canada’s three best players.

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The 20-year-old, celebrating his birthday today, was selected as the captain to represent Canada as they attempt to put their early exit from the previous year out of everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, he and Canada couldn’t do so, exiting at the same stage against the same team.

Canada found themselves down early to Czechia and forced to kill a five-minute penalty. With everything pointing towards disaster, the captain stepped up to make a play.

Yager was stopped on his breakaway attempt but stayed with the puck and found Tanner Howe in front of the net for a deflection goal to tie the game.

Canada would give up a goal on the same penalty they were killing off, and before the end of the period, putting themselves in a 3-1 hole. They worked their way back into the game, and with everything nodded up at three, Canada took another ill-advised penalty, which ultimately cost them the game.

With Canada’s tournament concluding, Yager finished with three assists in five games, earning recognition from Canada’s management as one of the three best players on the team alongside Nashville Predators defenseman Tanner Molendyk and Los Angeles Kings goaltender Carter George.

The disappointment will sting for Yager, who is now aging out of the tournament, but he can now focus on his final WHL season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes before joining the Jets organization at the end of the season or the beginning of next year.

If the Hurricanes exit early in the playoffs, Yager could join the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.

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