Brayden Yager - NHL Draft - June 28th, 2023

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Thank you. Great. It's uhstill hasn't sank in yet. I mean,
um, such a great organization andum, you know you look at
some of the players on in theirin their rosters, so um, you
know guys that I can really learnfrom, and um, guys that I've
looked up to growing up. Soum, it's it's incredible. Describe as
a shooter. Um, where's thatcoming? Yeah, I don't know.

(00:25):
I think just um, you know, having a shooter mentality and um,
you're not gonna score if you don'tshoot the puck. So um, I
mean I'm so lost for words rightnow. I can't really I can't only
explain, but um, yeah,I mean, um, I think I've
worked on my shot a lot growingup. So um, I try to
use it as we say, canpop up to a little bit of the
prospect of your meetings with the penguinsand sort of what you know, what

(00:48):
you've got out of it if youcan come out of it feeling pretty good
for the Yeah, yeah, wedid like a pretty typical interview, but
I think that you know, itwas it was cool to go up with
for supper with them, and umyou go ask them, you know,
pretty cool questions and had a good, good feeling, you know after the
dinner, which was which is reallygood. Marco Leary talked a lot about
the details of your game, especiallyon the four check. That's not common

(01:11):
for young players, if you reallyfocused on kind of the finer points of
your game. Yeah, I thinkthat's something that I've always especially my parents
have fifth you know, tried toget me to work on. You know,
I've rolled out of my game afterSidney Crosby, so it's it's pretty
crazy to think that I'm wearing thesame jersey he does. So um,
but yeah, I think just beingable to play a two hundred four game
is huge, and you know,transferred to the NHL level and getting the

(01:33):
coach or trust of trust of yourcoaches. So yeah, who was with
you in the crowd And I knowit was only a few seconds, but
what was it like to share thatmoment with him? Assuming your parents?
Yeah, so obviously gave my dada big hug first, and then my
mom, and then my brother,my girlfriend, and then you know,
obviously my agent was there too,so um, you know, it's it's
incredible. I obviously have more familiessitting in the crowd so hopefully see them

(01:57):
later and give him some hugs too. Person. Um just what's that because
it's like going in my house.That's uh. They just recently retired this
year, but um, yeah they'vethey've got some pretty cool stories to share.
So um. But yeah, Imean I'm so fortunate to have the
parents that I do, um,raising myself and my brother with um,

(02:22):
you know, making sure we're Iam taking care of ourselves and the learning
to be humble and and respectful.So um, it was super thankful for
the parents that we have. Whatdid you learn about yourself as a person
and a player during your time withus? Yeah, I mean it's a
great organization, and um, I'mlearned a lot about the community and you
know, helping up in the community, and and you know, you you

(02:44):
give to them, they're gonna they'regonna get back to you and share you
on and in your games. Soum, you know I think that's uh.
I've had a ton of fun playingMusha, and um, it was
such a great place to play.What do you think your timeline to the
NHROL might be and what are yourkind of short term goals? Yeah,
I think, Um, I meanwhenever whenever Pittsburgh thinks I'm ready, I
guess, um, but you know, I think maybe like a couple of

(03:06):
years, two three, uh twothree years, I think, um,
you'll give myself a good chance toyou know, gain some strength and and
hopefully be you know NH already.Have you prepared you a response for when
so or text you or called you? No, I haven't had time to
think about that yet, but um, you know it's it's gonna be crazy.
Yeah, I do. Um,he's another player that um kind of

(03:27):
both of them, are you knowguys that I kind of model my game
after. And um, it's,uh, it's crazy, it's it's it's
so crazier. Now, if it'lltake a couple of years to get to
the NHL, what are the thingsyou want to work on in that time?
Yeah, I think the biggest thingis uh obviously getting bigger and stronger,
like I said, and um,obviously you know I'll probably get some
advice, um, you know,from from Pittsburgh. And UM, you

(03:50):
know it's it's crazy saying that I'mon like I'm with Pittsburgh right now,
but um, obviously get some advicefrom them what they think I need to
do better. So, UM,try to uh get as much information I
can and learn as much as Ican. And um and both America Britney.
I think the part of iss inyour game defense for a lot of
teams and your how things you wantto center? Yeah, defensione's wont for
forward? How much work partners outof you. Yeah. I take a

(04:12):
lot of pride in playing both endsof the ice. And um, you
know, when my coaches and MushaI do a really good job of,
um, you'll showing me cliffs ofyou know where I need to be.
Um you was s importing the talkfor my demon and um you know,
like I said, I roll rolemodel my game after Sidney Crosby, and
um, you know he's one ofthe best complete players ever. So UM,
I think that you know, asa young guy stepping into the NHL,
I think that it's important to youknow, if you know, you

(04:33):
might not be able to play topsix minutes, So if you can kind
of gain your coaches trust, umplaying on the you know, bottom two
lines and kind of work your wayup, I think that's super important.
You talked about working the shot.Was there a player you wanted to model
your shot after? Is there aparticular adjust what you made over time?
It's like, oh haha, I'vegot it to where I want to be.

(04:55):
Yeah, I think I modeled myshot um after Nathan McKinnon, just
the way he you know, jumpsinto it and it's obviously super quick.
And um I work with Tim Turkand uh he's a studing coach and um,
you know we work on different typesof shots, whether it's no change
in the angle and I'm working ona quick release and um, but yeah,
I think it's something that you know, most players do work on and
um, yeah, I'm gonna keepworking on them. Yeah. I actually

(05:19):
grew up playing wing with my buddyRiley Hight and uh then I moved to
center once I got to Moose Jaw. So um, we all play wherever
my coach puts me. But umyeah, I'm comfortable like the right friends,
I do prefer center, yet,pretty house of time and Moose Jaw
impacted upon you and helped it toreach the stage that yeah, I mean
it starts starts with my Bill atFamily. Um, you know they're they're

(05:42):
amazing. Um, the Williams family, Troy, my Bill at Dad,
He's he's awesome, and um,Krista too, and my billet, my
bill of brother Mason, Mikey,and my bill of sister Kenna. So
um starts with them and you know, taking care of me and bringing them,
bringing me in their household and um, and then we can kind of
go to the community of Moosehaw.You know, obviously small community and everybody's
so close together, and um.You know it's the one thing I learned

(06:04):
was, um, if I canbe a part of the community, they'll
they'll have my back. So um, great coaching staff and MUSHA and great
players. So um, I've beenpretty lucky to be a Musha. How
do you plan to celebrate tonight?I'm not too sure. Yeah, we'll
see what mom and dad. Momand dad plan on doing, but I'm
not thinking about that yet. I'mtrying to just kind of settle it in.

(06:25):
But yeah, the words where itmeans that it's it's so hard to
explain. Um, you know,the first thing that comes to mind is,
you know, the players that arethere and the opportunity that I'm going
to get to learn from those guysand um, but I mean it's it's
so surreal. I mean, um, it's it's crazy to think that I'm

(06:46):
a part of an NHL club now, which is um I don't even believe
it yet, so hopefully, hopefullythat that's settle in for the next little
bit here. Pretty yeah. Actuallyyeah, during the combine, um I
got like food poisoning. Um soI went there and obviously they knew about
it, and um so I justgot a chicken caesar salad and uh I

(07:10):
felt good after that though. Themeeting, meeting, meeting made me feel
a lot better. So yeah,um I was starting to feel better,
um as the day. As thedays kind of went on, but uh,
you know, kind of starting withthe meeting. I think it's when
I started to feel better. Sothanks, thank you, thank you,

(07:32):
thank you guys, thank you forthank you, thank you.