Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager named Canada’s captain for world juniors
Brayden Yager to Lead Team Canada at World Junior Hockey Championship
Centre Brayden Yager has been given the prestigious role of captain for Canada’s team at the upcoming world junior hockey championship. This announcement was made by Hockey Canada, who also named Tanner Molendyk and Calum Ritchie as alternate captains for the tournament set to kick off on Boxing Day in Ottawa.
Yager, a promising prospect for the Winnipeg Jets, has already made an impact with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League. Since joining the team via trade on December 2nd, he has notched a goal and three assists in just two games. Prior to this, Yager showcased his skills with the Moose Jaw Warriors, tallying 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 21 games before the trade.
Hailing from Saskatoon, Yager was part of Canada’s 2024 world junior team that competed in Gothenburg, Sweden, finishing fifth in the tournament.
Molendyk, a defenseman from McBride, B.C., has been a standout player for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades this season, recording 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 21 games. On the other hand, Ritchie, who calls Oakville, Ont., home, has been lighting up the Ontario Hockey League with 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) in just 18 games. Ritchie recently returned to major junior hockey after a brief stint with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.
Both Molendyk and Ritchie are set to make their world junior debuts. Molendyk was originally selected for Canada’s 2024 team but had to withdraw due to a wrist injury sustained in a pre-tournament game.
