Player Discussion Kailer Yamamoto

[Little Fury]

Made 2 nice passes, and had a great shot. He has speed, but I never said he didn't. You know who else has had games with multiple good passes and good shots? Sam Gagner. But one good game doesn't really discount what my assessment of him as a player is. I'll eat crow when I see him consistently carry that puck and make plays. I'll be happy to eat that crow, lord knows our team needs secondary talent and scoring.

If Yamo turns into Gagner 2.0, that's a pretty decent result.

 

[JayE]

Made 2 nice passes, and had a great shot. He has speed, but I never said he didn't. You know who else has had games with multiple good passes and good shots? Sam Gagner. But one good game doesn't really discount what my assessment of him as a player is. I'll eat crow when I see him consistently carry that puck and make plays. I'll be happy to eat that crow, lord knows our team needs secondary talent and scoring.

In fairness, if Gagner could skate like Yamamoto, he'd he have been a pretty good player.

 

[Stoneman89]

Nice goal by the kid. Beauty feed by Larsson.

Would be me remiss of me not to comment on the great finish. Good work to get around the D as well. Really was a huge goal.

And all without the help of Leon.

 

[Stoneman89]

Very nice goal for his first in the NHL. Otherwise didn't really notice him, which can be seen as a good thing. Didn't really notice anyone else but McDavid to be honest. Everyone else pretty much faded into the background.

You must have gone to the bathroom right after his goal then, because he had a Grade A chance about 30 seconds after his goal.

 

[Aerrol]

I think we all do and this goes for the entire team, not just individual players.

Hahaha, 100%. Also appreciate @Drivesaitl acknowledging the good game. He more or less showed what I was talking about last night, plus having some finish. If he can get shots away that cleanly with regularity, I'm fine with keeping him up. Just no more puck fumbling in scoring areas please.

 

[TheNumber4]

Usually reminded me of Arcobello, because that's how the other teams would play him.

Last night I'm seeing he has the ability to play more like RNH. Slippery with vision.

What I liked about that pass to Lucic, and also finding that open ice for the break and goal. Was that before passing to Lucic, he had to find a soft spot down low and be open for a pass. He slipped into that spot nicely. Before scoring the goal, he had to skate wide and find a spot to receive that pass. 2 nice hockey IQ related sequences.

 

[TheNumber4]

Difference to Sammy Snowpants is he is very good defensively and plays physical even though he is tiny.

Well I saw home bounce off some Bruins trying to check them last night. But it's fine, the effort and positioning is there. So agreed about his defensive game.

 

[TheNumber4]

Pretty much where I'm at. The goal was essentially a seeing eye breakout pass from Larsson that went around 120ft and is atypical of this club or this D. It was a Ryan Jones type goal with better finish. I still need a lot more viewing of what this player can do in traffic, which is where most of the NHl game is played. Unless he cheats, and we don't want that, the breakaways are typically going to be a rare thing. Jones was often guilty of playing up high a lot and jumping own zone. He made it work somehow. I should never say never. That's my kryptonite though as a longtime fan, I can be critical until a player proves me wrong.

Know what you are saying about that goal. If we're hoping that Kailer contributes doing those type of goals every game, it just isn't gonna work out in the long run. I too amd waiting for some typical looking, puck carrying, puck cycling type goals from him (the Oilers are actually a really bad team at this in general though). One thing we should give him credit for is that pass to Lucic, plenty of traffic where he was. He found a soft spot for an open pass and he made a pass where there was lots of traffic. So at the very least, finding good spots on the ice seems to be a positive in his in traffic game.

 

[TheNumber4]

In fairness, if Gagner could skate like Yamamoto, he'd he have been a pretty good player.

Woah maybe we finally found our Gagner/Cogliano hybrid!

 

[Bank Shot]

If Yamo turns into Gagner 2.0, that's a pretty decent result.

I think Yamamoto is already more defensively conscious than Gagner ever was.

Gagner didn't get bounced out of the NHL because of lack of offence.

 

[bucks_oil]

In fairness, if Gagner could skate like Yamamoto, he'd he have been a pretty good player.

29 year old Sam Gagner has 7 40+ point seasons in this league, including two more if you include 38 points in a 48 game (strike) and 37 in 67 (injury) shortened seasons.

For all the abuse he took (due to unreasonable expectations) he had a fantastic career for a 2nd-line talent.

 

[Little Fury]

I think Yamamoto is already more defensively conscious than Gagner ever was.

Gagner didn't get bounced out of the NHL because of lack of offence.

He had 10 goals and 31 points last season, so yeah, he kinda did.

 

[MessierII]

I think Yamamoto is already more defensively conscious than Gagner ever was.

Gagner didn't get bounced out of the NHL because of lack of offence.

He’s definitely a better PKer.

 

[Slats432]

Although he scored yesterday, my opinion didn't change. I watched him fairly closely, and up to that point I didn't see him create or do anything. I liked him on this one play for sure. Great pass receipt and great finish. But his overall game needs tons of work.

 

[CornKicker]

Although he scored yesterday, my opinion didn't change. I watched him fairly closely, and up to that point I didn't see him create or do anything. I liked him on this one play for sure. Great pass receipt and great finish. But his overall game needs tons of work.

so you didnt like him moving the puck around down low with strome and lucic? or having the play in the offensive zone the majority of the time in the 2nd and 3rd period?

 

[Soundwave]

Although he scored yesterday, my opinion didn't change. I watched him fairly closely, and up to that point I didn't see him create or do anything. I liked him on this one play for sure. Great pass receipt and great finish. But his overall game needs tons of work.

This is a little unfair, because Yamamoto did have literally a point blank chance at Halak literally 30 seconds after his goal.

He also setup Lucic point blank in front of the net.

So that's 3 AAA chances he had or set up at least. He was good last game, does that mean he's going to be a star player? The jury is still way out on that, but give the kid credit for a good game.

 

[Slats432]

If the only thing the player does is cycle the puck then they really aren't that effective. Whenever my eyes were on Yamamoto (Other than his excellent goal) he was pushed off the puck, lost a battle, or moved the puck to space. That in itself isn't enough to me. I thought Lucic and Strome were both good. And I am not sour on the kid, I just see a skill set that doesn't make me overly optimistic on his long term value. And not to say I haven't been wrong before. Usually I am wrong the other way. Players I think will be great don't turn out that way.

To me, a small shifty player has to have certain skill sets which I have yet to see in this young player which I mentioned in my other post. If he develops, excellent. I would love to be wrong.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

If the only thing the player does is cycle the puck then they really aren't that effective. Whenever my eyes were on Yamamoto (Other than his excellent goal) he was pushed off the puck, lost a battle, or moved the puck to space. That in itself isn't enough to me. I thought Lucic and Strome were both good. And I am not sour on the kid, I just see a skill set that doesn't make me overly optimistic on his long term value. And not to say I haven't been wrong before. Usually I am wrong the other way. Players I think will be great don't turn out that way.

To me, a small shifty player has to have certain skill sets which I have yet to see in this young player which I mentioned in my other post. If he develops, excellent. I would love to be wrong.

Slats, you're probably watching for him to get "out muscled" then if this is the conclusion you draw.

 

[Bank Shot]

He had 10 goals and 31 points last season, so yeah, he kinda did.

That kind of offence is just fine for a guy that plays two ways.

It's not if offence is all you bring.

If Gagner had developed into a two-way player, his level of offence would be just fine to remain in the league.

 

[Little Fury]

That kind of offence is just fine for a guy that plays two ways.

It's not if offence is all you bring.

If Gagner had developed into a two-way player, his level of offence would be just fine to remain in the league.

If he had put up his usual 40-ish points he's still have a spot, defensive flaws and all.

 

[nabob]

In fairness, if Gagner could skate like Yamamoto, he'd he have been a pretty good player.

Yeah if he played with KY’s effort level and wheels he’d be a very good 2C.

 

[nabob]

Slats, you're probably watching for him to get "out muscled" then if this is the conclusion you draw.

Yeah some confirmation bias going on there for sure.

 

[Bank Shot]

If he had put up his usual 40-ish points he's still have a spot, defensive flaws and all.

Well sure on a bottom feeder. Would need more than 40 points on a good team.

Guys with great offence can stick in the league regardless of defensive flaws.

If your offence is average to slightly above better do something else too.

Gagner's offence was always at least NHL average or better. It's just he was barely above average and brings zilch besides.

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

This is going to be the template for Yam's to follow.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Yeah some confirmation bias going on there for sure.

I mean he loses some physical battles, he's going to he's not big, but he's hardly, basically, helplessly being pushed around.