Forward Brayden Yager (right) is one of many future NHL stars coming to the Art Hauser Centre in the final push of the WHL season. (Submitted photo/Mark Peterson Media)

By Rob Mahon

Top Talent at Hauser

Yager, Warriors, lead off long run of future NHL stars coming to Prince Albert

Feb 18, 2023 | 10:00 AM

The high demand for tickets and ultimate sellout when Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats came to Prince Albert proved local fans want to see the future best players in the world. On that front, it’s going to be a good run for the Prince Albert Raiders.

The very next night, Saturday, February 18, forward Brayden Yager, himself a highly touted probable first-round NHL draft pick with ties to Prince Albert, is in town with the Moose Jaw Warriors. And he begins a long run of top talent traveling to Hockeytown North.

“It’s something that we put a feather in our cap as a league,” Scissons said. “It’s been said before the Western Hockey League is the number one development program in the world. I one 100 per cent believe that to be true, and nothing is going to prove it more than what this year’s NHL draft is going to be.”

Close on the heels of Yager’s visit to Prince Albert, the Saskatoon Blades (who are always a draw) come to visit the Hauser. After that, the last month of the regular season sees visits from Zach Benson with the Winnipeg ICE and Nate Danielson with the Brandon Wheat Kings, both of whom project as top-15 picks in the coming NHL draft.

“You get these guys, let’s take Yager for an example, he spent some time in Prince Albert in the minor hockey system,” said Scissons, “spent a lot of time in the Hauser as a young player. He’s going to be a first-round pick and probably a pretty high one at that. Don’t sleep on any team that comes into our building.”

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The sellout crowd that Bedard attracted has been a common sight wherever the Pats have gone. But if seeing high-quality future NHL players is the goal, Scissons believes fans should find themselves at the Hauser more often.

“The next level, the price goes through the roof,” Scissons said. “The talent that feeds that next level is playing here today. We can’t reiterate that enough. Tomorrow’s stars are here today. That’s something you’ll get to see night in and night out.”

Scissons isn’t selling his own team short either. Ryder Ritchie, who isn’t up for the NHL draft until next year, is putting up excellent numbers in his 16-year-old rookie season, and word will soon get around that he and other young stars on the Raiders are worth the price of admission themselves.

“We don’t have to look too far down the lineup to find some 17-year-olds who are contributing mightily as well,” said Scissons. “The Raider team that we have here and are icing every night has shown just a tremendous, tremendous future ahead of us. We’re playing some darned good hockey.”

Scissons added they’ll have special edition jerseys designed by team photographer Mark Peterson to be auctioned off for the game against Moose Jaw; if fans are looking for even more reasons to show up.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP