Getting To Know Kailer Yamamoto

Yesterday, the Edmonton Oilers used the 22nd overall pick in the 2017 NHL entry draft to select diminutive forward Kailer Yamamoto from the Western Hockey League.

Yamamoto, a member of the Spokane Chiefs, is coming off a season in which he lead all draft eligible players in scoring with 99 points, 42 of which were goals, in just 65 games. Listed as a right winger, the right-shooting Yamamoto is dramatically undersized, but makes up for it with his dynamic creativity, hands and offensive prowess.

An encouraging aspect of Yamamoto’s game is that a large portion of his production came at even strength. A whopping 31 goals and 30 assists of his 99 points came at 5 on 5, totalling almost 62% of his offence. He was no slouch on the power play either, notching 10 goals and 25 assists on the man advantage. Yamamoto’s season was good enough to rank 6th in the entire WHL in points, 8th in goals and 13th in assists.

The website of the Spokane Chiefs has him listed at 5’9 and 160lbs, although Yamamoto measured in at just 5’7.5 and 146.4lbs at the draft combine via The Hockey Writers. Despite his tiny stature, Yamamoto is in fantastic shape by all accounts. He dominated during the physical testing at the draft combine, finishing 15th or higher in seven of the areas that were tested:

• 1st in VO2max test with a score of 68 ml/kg/min
• 2nd in pro agility left with a score of 4.38
• 2nd in pro agility right with a score of 4.2
• 14th in mean power output with a score of 12.4 watts/kg
• 3rd in peak power output with a score of 17.1 watts/kg
• 15th in bench press (70-80% of body weight) with 13 repetitions
• 6th in consecutive pull-ups with 12 repetitions

As a late birthday, Yamamoto is one of the older players in the 2017 draft class and was less than a month shy of being eligible for last year’s draft. Here’s what people had to say about the selection:

Don't think Yamamoto goes 22 if he's not as physically stout for his weight as he is. He's ripped, strong, conditioned. Unlike other smalls.

— DraftBuzz Hockey (@draftbuzzhockey) June 24, 2017

https://twitter.com/coreypronman/status/878420899703160832

Yamamoto is boom or bust. It's hard to be great at his height but he's one of the three most talented players in the class.

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 24, 2017

Less than 24 hours after the pick, I’m a fan of this selection. Yamamoto adds depth to a group of forward prospects that is dangerously thin outside of the NHL level, and the fact that he plays right wing helps to beef up a position that took a hit when Jordan Eberle was dealt to the Islanders.

I’m encouraged that the Oilers brass didn’t shy away from an uber-skilled player like Yamamoto just because of his size, and even more encouraged that they didn’t use the pick on a Coke machine. Yamamoto is one of the most purely talented players in this entire draft class, something that definitely has to be worth a gamble in my mind.

Yamamoto obviously made quite an impression on GM Peter Chiarelli according to team play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels, in part due to this exchange:

Yamamoto's answer to "why should we draft you?" query at combine: "Because if you don't I'll come back to haunt you." Chiarelli liked that.

— Jack Michaels (@EdmontonJack) June 24, 2017

I like the display of confidence from Kailer. At his size, he’ll have to continue to believe in his own abilities if he wants to follow the footsteps of other small forwards in the NHL such as Johnny Gaudreau, Brad Marchand, Mats Zuccarello and family friend/summer training partner Tyler Johnson.

Overall, I think the Oilers will be very pleased with the player they acquired in the first round. If things turn out, Yamamoto could end up being one of the best value picks in the draft.