Penguins' Top Prospect Brayden Yager Dealt to Jets for Rutger McGroarty

The Winnipeg Jets traded top prospect Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins. As far as we know, McGroarty was traded for Penguins top prospect Brayden Yager.

The Penguins farm system is quite thin with Yager having been the most valuable piece according to New York Times' Scott Wheeler. Yager is a 19-year-old Saskatoon native, that has earned his high-end prospect status through stellar play with the Western Hockey League's Moose Jaw Warriors as well as on the international stage when representing Team Canada for the 2023 World Junior Championships.

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He has been a dominant force with Moose Jaw, scoring 107 goals along with 149 assists for 256 points in 215 games across four seasons. His point-per-game average carried over to his play for Team Canada, where his five points (two goals, three assists) was second-most on the team behind 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

Yager's options for next season would be to return to Moose Jaw for his fifth season as he will still be within the required age limit of 16-20 years old or turn pro and play next season with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.