Oilers first round pick has career in jeopardy with no interest in free agency

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Liam McCormick
August 7, 2024 (4:50 PM)

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There's only weeks left before NHL training camps open for the upcoming season, and former Oilers first round pick Kalier Yamamoto is still without a contract.

The Oilers elected Yamamoto 22nd overall in the 2017 draft, and after just 303 career games, he's not finding much interest in free agency.

Yamamoto is still just 25 years old, and has proven he can produce at the NHL level. He had impressive seasons with the Oilers in 2019-20 and 2021-22, in the latter year scoring a career high of 20 goals and 41 points. Since then however, Yamamoto has seriously struggled offensively, and was a healthy scratch multiple times with the Seattle Kraken.

Still, many hockey fans still believe in Kailer Yamamoto, and are lobbying for him to get an opportunity with another NHL team. Prominent hockey analyst Micah Blake McCurdy actually has Yamamoto pegged as a second line player based on his analytics. That may not be entirely accurate, but he does have some talent and has struggled over the last few years - he may just need a fresh start.

According to some sources, there's interest from the San Jose Sharks to bring in Yamamoto on a Tryout contract closer to training camp. He may have a shot to make a rebuilding Sharks roster, but to be in that position in the first place is tough for a recent first round draft pick. Plenty of Oilers fans are cheering for him to get his career back on track.

Source: Micah Black McCurdy

Yamamoto still a quality player