Are the Oilers about to lose their former first-round draft pick?

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Ryan Hall
June 23, 2023 (0:10)

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Much has been made regarding the career so far of Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto. The Oilers organization had high hopes for this young player as he was drafted in the 2017 entry draft in the first round, 22nd pick overall. One of the drawbacks of this young man is that he has sustained numerous injuries, he's only 24 years old.

During the 2022-2023 season, he played 58 games and scored ten goals, with 15 assists for 25 points and was a + 12. As a first-round draft pick, he should be far better than he has been.

With all the rumours swirling around the Oilers about what they will do this offseason, it appears the club is finished with Yamamoto and is willing to pass them along to another team at no cost. This news came according to the dailyfaceoff.com Frank Seravalli.

«My sense is the #Oilers know already and have in their pocketsomeone that will take Yamamoto for free» My sense is the #Oilers know already and have in their pocketsomeone that will take Yamamoto for free.»
- Frank Seravalli

With only $5.9 million in cap space to work with, the Oilers will need to do something large in the trade market to readjust their lines in their money to fit as the salary cap was announced today to only go up by $1,000,000.

It would be a shame they'd lose him for nothing or hardly anything worth talking about but the Oilers will need to do something soon as their realignment in many retools will continue.