Yamamoto next on Holland’s agenda
EDMONTON — The clock is ticking on Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland and Kailer Yamamoto to come to an agreement on a contract extension.
Yamamoto, 23, was one of two Oilers to file for salary arbitration, along with Jesse Puljujarvi, and his hearing date is set for Aug. 7.
If the two sides can’t come to an agreement on an extension before then, it will be up to an independent arbitrator to decide Yamamoto’s yearly worth to the Oilers. Yamamoto is represented by J.P. Barry, managing director of Creative Artists Agency.
“I’m going to talk a lot to J.P., so we’ll see,” said Holland, shortly after signing Puljujarvi to a one-year, $3-million extension earlier this week. “I don’t think we’re that far apart, but you never know until you have a deal.”
A first-round pick — 22nd overall — of the Oilers in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Yamamoto had 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games last season and added another two goals and seven points in 14 playoff games. Yamamoto made $1.175 million last season, having signed a one-year extension following the expiration of his rookie contract.
The Oilers qualified Yamamoto, along with Puljujarvi, Ryan Mcleod and Tyler Benson. Only Yamamoto and Puljujarvi had arbitration rights.
Holland would like to sign Yamamoto to a longer term than he did with Puljujarvi, who may still be on the move after struggling offensively in the second half of the season and might need a change of scenery.
Yamamoto also had issues with inconsistency this past season, but is in the long-term plans. He had a good stretch in March shortly after Jay Woodcroft was hired to replace Dave Tippett as head coach.
“I think he had seven or eight goals in the month of March,” Holland said of Yamamoto’s eight goals and 14 points in 15 games this past March. “He’s relentless, he’s a good forechecker and has hockey sense. The top players like to play with him, because he can play with them; he can hang on to the puck, he doesn’t throw it away.”
Yamamoto was sent back to the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL after playing nine games with the Oilers in 2017-18. He spent parts of two seasons with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL before being called up on New Year’s Eve in 2019 and made a strong impression playing on a line with Leon Draisaitl for the rest of the season.
Yamamoto reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time this past season and is going into his prime, which bodes well for the five-footeight, 153-pound winger.
“He forechecks, he puts pressure on the D; he’s probably one of the smaller players in the National Hockey League based upon his weight, but he has no fear,” Holland said. “He’s a smart, intelligent hockey player that can play in the top six and you need player like that. He can also play on the third line, whether it’s Mcleod centring the third line or it’s Nuge [Ryan Nugent-hopkins] centring the third line.”