Uh.. Kailer?

[CantHaveTkachev]

I've been to almost all the games since he came to Spokane. If you didn't know he was drafted in the first, you wouldn't know he was drafted at all. The hustle isn't there, it's just not. Maybe he's saving himself for juniors, but watching him last year to this year is night and day. He does not look like the same guy.

Caught a nasty case of Oileritis

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I've been to almost all the games since he came to Spokane. If you didn't know he was drafted in the first, you wouldn't know he was drafted at all. The hustle isn't there, it's just not. Maybe he's saving himself for juniors, but watching him last year to this year is night and day. He does not look like the same guy.

That is not promising to hear at all. If he thinks that he can just half ass it all year and then come back to camp next year and flip the switch and be Connor's RH man, he's got another thing coming.

 

[McGenerational]

That is not promising to hear at all. If he thinks that he can just half ass it all year and then come back to camp next year and flip the switch and be Connor's RH man, he's got another thing coming.

Depends on his summer and training camp, IMO.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Depends on his summer and training camp, IMO.

I would stick him in the AHL or return him to the dub if he pouts all year. You don't reward that kind of behavior.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

There's no rush with him.

Hope he gets out of this funk, I think he was expecting to be cut before regular NHL season started and the 9 game stint, while good experience, were a bigger blow to his confidence after some raised expectations.

He'll recover IMO, better he finds his mojo again outside the NHL first.

 

[Senor Catface]

Chiefs get 9 goals!

...Yamamoto gets no goals and 1 assist.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I think he will find it come the WJC.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Cougars get 9 goals!

...Yamamoto gets no goals and 1 assist.

He plays for the Chiefs.

 

[Senor Catface]

He plays for the Chiefs.

Yeah, accidentally wrote Cougars instead of Chiefs.

 

[oilers2k10]

Its hard to try hard in kindergarten when you've been hanging in grade three all season

 

[McGoMcD]

Looks like he had a great game last night, they scored 2 goals and he had a goal and an assist. He will come alive, really look forward to seeing him in the WJHC.

 

[Todd from Leduc]

"Kailer this is Mess, get it goin"

 

[sundaysleftovers]

"Kailer this is Mess, get it goin"

 

[GameChanger]

Dubois -> A very difficult season (especially until spring) after having spent the preaseason up
Puljujarvi -> Difficult (at least scoring-wise) first games after being sent down
Yamamoto -> Difficult start after having a taste of the NHL

Maybe we should've learned something from e.g. Jesse's case. Him having a few games with almost no points was enough to declare him a bust. Pretty much the same with Dubois, though he had a longer tough period. It's the same with Yamamoto. It's easy to say he should this and that, but it's difficult to adjust to the new league and to bring 100% effort initially after you've tasted a totally different world. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't up his game after the WJC but for now it's just a bit strange, but nothing more than that.

 

[Upperchucker]

From his post game interview he said he was very disappointed he was sent back and his timing is messed up. Seems his stint in the nhl hurt his play and he's ready for world juniors. I'm guessing his confidence was pretty shaken, and by his own admission, he's over thinking his game and not letting it come to him. Hopefully This helps him get through.

 

[MikeGrier99]

If he can't handle a call down to junior, well who knows when he can handle the NHL. He shouldn't have a blow to his confidence, he nearly made the NHL as a late first rounder, which is incredibly rare. It seems today's young players, while technically gifted, don't always have mental fortitude, relentless effort, etc. If he wants to be a true professional he needs to give it his all at every level. No one is gifted anything in the NHL, if Kailer is cut from the NHL after his first attempt, like many great players before him, he needs to prove himself and show in junior that he's mastered that level.

 

[THall4]

Im gonna venture to say that he was probably less than thrilled about going back to Junior from the NHL.

 

[PBandJ]

Loved his confidence when we drafted him, but if he's going to sulk and pout because he wasn't good enough to stick in the NHL yet, one has to question if he has the mental game to make it at all.

 

[Kolja]

Perhaps he's just worn out by being drafted and playing in the show with everything that comes with that @ the tender age of 18. A set back is disapointing but let's not be over dramatic about it. He has already shown he can play.

 

[Dan Kelly]

Chiefs get 9 goals!

...Yamamoto gets no goals and 1 assist.

trade bait !

 

[McFlyingV]

Perhaps he's just worn out by being drafted and playing in the show with everything that comes with that @ the tender age of 18. A set back is disapointing but let's not be over dramatic about it. He has already shown he can play.

Definitely agree. I don't know where all this talk about him sulking and pouting, and not putting in the effort are coming from in this thread. He's going through a bit of a lull where his game isn't where it can and should be. That doesn't mean he's not trying or sulking. Things will turn around, he's far too talented for this to continue.

 

[Staghorn]

I can understand it taking a couple games to get back in the flow, but really he's had a LONG time now. This is beyond sulking. Time to step it up Yama.

 

[bucks_oil]

If he can't handle a call down to junior, well who knows when he can handle the NHL. He shouldn't have a blow to his confidence, he nearly made the NHL as a late first rounder, which is incredibly rare. It seems today's young players, while technically gifted, don't always have mental fortitude, relentless effort, etc. If he wants to be a true professional he needs to give it his all at every level. No one is gifted anything in the NHL, if Kailer is cut from the NHL after his first attempt, like many great players before him, he needs to prove himself and show in junior that he's mastered that level.

Overly harsh IMO. From his comments this has nothing to do with effort, just timing/confidence, etc. He's 18, he'll get over it.

Your comments put a high degree of weight, including inferences of (weak) character, on a 13 game span in which he has 12 points.

I'm not saying you've jumped to those conclusions, but I wouldn't even be pointed in that direction at this point. Everything we heard about this kid is that he's been a highly motivated kid and consistently proved the naysayers wrong... Nevermind... perhaps you could continue as you were

 

[WigWam]

Kid will be fine. I think he will be better right after WJC.

 

[Zaddy]

This is generally what happens when you keep a kid up for too long. They get bored with juniors and feel like they should or deserve to be elsewhere. Should've sent him down much earlier and kept him hungry. This is what I warned about in pre-season (yes it's still super early I know and I'm not worried yet, but it's never a good thing to see a top prospect be so underwhelming in juniors) Hopefully the world juniors can be a big carrot for him.