The outcome was never in doubt, but the Pittsburgh Penguins took their time, 13 months to be exact, to sign 2023 first-round pick Brayden Yager to his entry-level contract. Yager and the Penguins put pen to paper Thursday afternoon on Yager’s three-year entry-level contract.

If or when he makes it to the NHL, he will count $950,000 against the salary cap for each of his first three seasons.

Before anyone gets too excited, the ELC doesn’t affect Yager’s eligibility or move up his timeline to join the Penguins. Entry-level contracts slide until the player exhausts his junior eligibility or turns pro. He is still eligible, if not likely, to return to juniors this season and is not eligible to play in the AHL until next year. So, Yager will play with the Pittsburgh Penguins or his WHL team, the Moose Jaw Warriors, this season.

Yager, 19, is eligible for a nine-game “tryout” at the NHL level before burning the first year of his entry-level deal.

The Penguins selected Yager with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He has participated in the last two development Camps, as well as training camp last season.

Yager helped lead Moose Jaw to its first-ever WHL championship and Memorial Cup appearance. He scored 35 goals with 95 points in just 57 games in the regular season and 27 points (11-16-27) in 20 playoff games. In the Memorial Cup, he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team after tallying six points (3-3-6) in four games, and the CHL named him the Sportsman of the Year in 2023-24.

Yager also played for Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championships, registering five points (2-3-5) in five games. He and fellow Penguins draft pick Tanner Howe were invited to participate in the upcoming Summer Showcase which will begin the Team Canada roster selection for 2025, as well.