While most eyes are on what’s happening in St. Louis with the Jets ahead of game 6 (including the news that Nikolaj Ehlers is wearing a regular jersey and is expected to play tonight) the other news of the day was that the team had recalled 2023 1st rounder Brayden Yager now that his WHL season is over in Lethbridge. The Hurricanes made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but were eliminated in a four game sweep by the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The expectation is he has been brought to observe and be around the team, similar to what the organization did with Nikolaj Ehlers in 2015 when they were taking on the Ducks in the first ever playoffs for the Jets 2.0 when the Dane’s junior season in Halifax ended.
Sure enough Yager in his 29 helmet was on the ice this morning at hockey for all centre with the group that make up the Jets taxi squad.
I spy with my little ? Jets prospect Brayden Yager (2023 1st) skating with the Winnipeg taxi squad.
He was recalled this morning from Lethbridge.https://t.co/t7TH2RF3mt pic.twitter.com/2QOowrVQwJ
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) May 2, 2025
A few other observations from today’s skate:
Parker Ford looks like he’s a full participant and is shooting well (he was limited after he had cast off). No Brad Lambert who is recovering from an ankle sprain. Possible he’s skating on his own.
They ended by doing a drill where a player would get a breakaway opportunity and depending on what side of the ice you were on you were either betting with the shooter or against him. The entire group lost (and had to do a lap) when they bet against Jets prospect Elias Salomonsson (2022 2nd).
Taxi squad learned they shouldn’t have bet against Jets prospect Elias Salomonsson (2022 2nd) who put this upstairs and they all do a lap. pic.twitter.com/94cUTlge1g
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) May 2, 2025
I also didn’t see Jets prospect Nikita Chibrikov (2021 2nd) who was supposed to start skating this week. But it’s possible he and Lambert are skating on their own.
