Player Discussion Kailer Yamamoto

[DaGap]

Guys like Kailer and Jesse need to shit or get off the pot already. At this rate we'd be better off walking away from at least one of them and then using the $ elsewhere. We have that option with Pulju since he's only signed for 1 year, not so much with Kailer. Of course it's better to trade them for a decent return but unless we can pry Soucy out of Seattle for one of them, I don't see it.

Too late.

We coulda walked away from them and gained 6.1 in cap space.

 

[North Cole]

Guys like Kailer and Jesse need to shit or get off the pot already. At this rate we'd be better off walking away from at least one of them and then using the $ elsewhere. We have that option with Pulju since he's only signed for 1 year, not so much with Kailer. Of course it's better to trade them for a decent return but unless we can pry Soucy out of Seattle for one of them, I don't see it.

While I understand the frustration, I don't think its about just making a decision to perform or not like its flipping a switch. I think we just need to accept that they are what they are, energy guys that provide some D and forechecking and average offense.

I'm not a fan of just walking away from them until we have a concrete plan of what is coming in. If Schaefer and Fabio XB can come in and take their spots then perfect, if not then I worry a bit. I won't sit here and bullshit people by trying to spin both of these guys into some latent elite players that are on the cusp of breaking out, but I'm also not keen on driving away from them for peanuts, when the alternative is nothing but a mirage of better players on the horizon.

Holland has basically iced a hydra in the bottom six - the same shitty experiment with a different face every season. Not sure how its possible, but our bottom six has been inferior compared to other bottom sixes for his entire tenure. I don't trust him at all to find middle six wingers to replace these guys. Either he will bring in the wrong guys or he will bring in the right guys for the wrong price (overpayments or worse)... Rather keep 40pt Yamo and Pool for 6.1m than two middle six mercenaries at 8-9M that turn to stone within 2 years of signing here - the Neals/Lucics of the world.

 

[Broberg Speed]

While I understand the frustration, I don't think its about just making a decision to perform or not like its flipping a switch. I think we just need to accept that they are what they are, energy guys that provide some D and forechecking and average offense.

I'm not a fan of just walking away from them until we have a concrete plan of what is coming in. If Schaefer and Fabio XB can come in and take their spots then perfect, if not then I worry a bit. I won't sit here and bullshit people by trying to spin both of these guys into some latent elite players that are on the cusp of breaking out, but I'm also not keen on driving away from them for peanuts, when the alternative is nothing but a mirage of better players on the horizon.

Holland has basically iced a hydra in the bottom six - the same shitty experiment with a different face every season. Not sure how its possible, but our bottom six has been inferior compared to other bottom sixes for his entire tenure. I don't trust him at all to find middle six wingers to replace these guys. Either he will bring in the wrong guys or he will bring in the right guys for the wrong price (overpayments or worse)... Rather keep 40pt Yamo and Pool for 6.1m than two middle six mercenaries at 8-9M that turn to stone within 2 years of signing here - the Neals/Lucics of the world.

League wide, how many middle 6 guys could outscore Yamamoto while playing with one of McDavid or Draisaitl 90% of the time while being at least 5'6" and 160 lbs?

And I couldn't give a shit if Yamamoto scores a hat trick tonight and the fanboys come out to dance and wiggle their junk like a pack of freaks. Nothing changes and he'll never be adequate in the playoffs. Because of his lack of speed, size and skill.

I think of all the small players who had significant NHL careers, even the ones who couldn't skate like Marc Savard, he had so much more skill... and he was a great big athlete compared to Yamamoto.

Next time Yamamoto goes on a heater... TRADE HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEATER !!! Make a trade happen at the right time for once, and tell the fanboys to jump off a cliff.

 

[McDNicks17]

I wonder if he tried to beef up or something in the offseason.

He used to win puck battles by being the first man in and using his body positioning, but he seems quite a bit slower this year and isn't even close to winning physical battles now.

 

[Aerchon]

I wonder if he tried to beef up or something in the offseason.

He used to win puck battles by being the first man in and using his body positioning, but he seems quite a bit slower this year and isn't even close to winning physical battles now.

As others have mentioned he started out this way last year and has had many extended streaks where he played like this before as well.

Its very very noticeable when Yama is playing bad. He literally looks like a boy among men. I hope he finds his game asap.

Its hard to imagine he will ever fully get rid of these stints. As others have mentioned he really needs to be at the top of his game to have an impact at this level. Outside of a very select few its common enough for most tiny players... and I think he is as tiny an NHL player as you can get.

To be fair, on the flip side, when playing at the top of his game he does play effective. Typically draws a lot of penalties, scores, and is ok on the PK. Consistency is always a battle for most players but it just really amplified by his being tiny.

 

[Stoneman89]

I don't understand it though. Derek Ryan is tiny as well, but he stays on his feet for the most part and wins a lot of battles. I think Yamo needs to understand he has to have better positioning to avoid getting creamed all the time.

 

[McXLNC97]

Yamamoto has been an utter disaster this season. Needs to get demoted to the 3rd or 4th line. All this prime 1st line time with McDavid, and half the time he bobbles the puck and loses control after McDavid puts him in an ideal scoring position.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Yamamoto needs to learn how to protect himself better. Two hands on the stick at all times unless he's pokechecking. If someone's coming at him head to head, he needs to get his stick up to protect himself. Not once in a while, every single time. The only time he should ever back off from carrying his stick high is if he starts to accumulate too many penalty minutes.

If a defenceman is coming to rub him out along the wall, that butt end needs to flash up if just for show to make that player think about the last time he took a butt end in the jaw. Use his momentum to drill someone hard in the arms or torso.

If Yamamoto hears someone coming from behind... stick up, those hockey gloves need to hit the glass, like he's bench pressing, so his head doesn't hit the plexi so hard. Or he needs to go low more often and use his lower center of gravity to his advantage... and the big guy goes heavy into the boards. Go low in the open ice and the big guy flies ass over tea kettle.

The big guys will always target the little guys. Little guys needs to learn to reverse check and know how to do it so it hurts. Yamamoto should use his hips and butt like a weapon and learn to make the lower center of gravity work for him. Some of the best checkers ever have been shorter guys... because they understood and used physics.

Dekeyser completely punked Yamamoto in the preseason. Yamamoto got his bell rung and his teeth loosened. Cranked his neck or got a concussion... maybe hurt his shoulder. Yamamoto played in the WHL and not US college hockey, all this should be second nature to him.

For all Yamamoto's shortcomings the one that bugs me the most, it does not appear he hits the weights hard. His legs need to be thick like a speed skaters (he might even improve his skating) and his core needs to be ridiculously built up. Huge arms and a strong neck will always protect his head. You hope he can add weight in the right places that doesn't make him slow and increases his body mass and strength. He spent an entire summer working on his shot, where did that get him?

If Yamamoto wants to make an impact in the NHL he has to work his way so the first thing you think of when you hear his name is nasty little ######.

 

[Kaptah]

Whiff, whiff, whiff.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Whiff, whiff, whiff.

Too bad that Jesse couldn't take advantage of a poor start from Yamo by being on the score sheet. Both guys are too inconsistent and are now overpaid.

 

[SwedishFire]

Right nowI would
Kane McDavid Hyman
Nuge Leon MacLeod
Shore Ryan Puljujärvi
Fogele Doubleshift C Yamamoto

Right nowI would
Kane McDavid Hyman
Nuge Leon MacLeod
Shore Ryan Puljujärvi
Fogele Doubleshift C Yamamoto

 

[harpoon]

Too late.

We coulda walked away from them and gained 6.1 in cap space.

And nobody, I mean nobody, on this board was advocating for that. Little late to start talking once the ink is already on the paper.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

And nobody, I mean nobody, on this board was advocating for that. Little late to start talking once the only is already on the paper.

I used to be in the pro-Yamamoto camp, but like someone else posted in another thread, he's playing like he's scared of another concussion.

Might even be worth trading one or both of them for "future considerations" if worse comes to worse.

 

[Kaptah]

Yamamoto is playing scared, and is probably wise doing so. His size and (former) playing style did not predict a long career. That is exactly why he was so aggressively pushing for a longer term past summer. We should be glad he only managed to get a two year deal.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Whiff, whiff, whiff.

Talking about JP? The whiff king?

 

[harpoon]

I used to be in the pro-Yamamoto camp, but like someone else posted in another thread, he's playing like he's scared of another concussion.

I don’t buy it. That poster doesn’t seem to know much about hockey, and is clearly and sadly desperate to see Yamamoto fail. Safe to disregard pretty much anything he posts on the topic.

After watching Yamamoto for three seasons worth of games, the one thing I can say with certainty is that he doesn’t lack courage. He does look a bit slower than last season but I’m not pushing the panic button on anybody on the roster with 5% of the season played.

Might even be worth trading one or both of them for "future considerations" if worse comes to worse.

Someone has to want them though. And there’s little evidence that either player is a sought after commodity around the league. Puljujarvi has been available for several years now and it’s been nothing but (rumored) low ball offers. If that. Who wants to give up assets for a guy who appears to be one of the most mentally weak players in the league? Perhaps Seattle would take a shot at a hometown kid (Yamamoto), but I doubt they offer anything significant.

 

[Kaptah]

I don’t buy it. That poster doesn’t seem to know much about hockey, and is clearly and sadly desperate to see Yamamoto fail. Safe to disregard pretty much anything he posts on the topic.

I'd very much like to see Yamamoto not to waste all the prime ice time he's been gifted this year. Looks like that ain't happening because he got his retirement money (not as much as he wanted, though) and another concussion, and is playing scared. It is quite obvious.

 

[Drivesaitl]

And nobody, I mean nobody, on this board was advocating for that. Little late to start talking once the ink is already on the paper.

I wax certainly advocating walking from Yamamoto and using the money elsewhere. Last night for instance Yams was setup 7 times. I think only half the times it ended in a shot. 2-3 were completely botched by him fumbling the puck including the 2 on 1 where Connor got hurt.

The guy is playing all the time with either Drai or McD. Its not uncommon for him to get setup 5 times a night and come up empty. He was active and involved in game but was also losing puck battles.

I would have more time for a dimunitive player that has hands but it takes hundreds of scoring chances in a season for Yams to come up with something like even the 20 he potted last year and historically he doesn't pot many. So that we have a small player with questionable hands getting perfect feeds and just squandering them.

The puck has been directed to him around 20X this season and the player has 8SOG. We're talking perfect feeds from the best players in hockey. 8SOG in 5GP playing with the best passers in hockey wihether that be McD or Drai. Until last night Yams was averaging one shot per game playing with superstars.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I wax certainly advocating walking from Yamamoto and using the money elsewhere. Last night for instance Yams was setup 7 times. I think only half the times it ended in a shot. 2-3 were completely botched by him fumbling the puck including the 2 on 1 where Connor got hurt.

The guy is playing all the time with either Drai or McD. Its not uncommon for him to get setup 5 times a night and come up empty. He was active and involved in game but was also losing puck battles.

I would have more time for a dimunitive player that has hands but it takes hundreds of scoring chances in a season for Yams to come up with something like even the 20 he potted last year and historically he doesn't pot many. So that we have a small player with questionable hands getting perfect feeds and just squandering them.

The puck has been directed to him around 20X this season and the player has 8SOG. We're talking perfect feeds from the best players in hockey. 8SOG in 5GP playing with the best passers in hockey wihether that be McD or Drai. Until last night Yams was averaging one shot per game playing with superstars.

He is here because McDavid and Draisaitl want him here. Its simple as that.

 

[Kaptah]

He is here because McDavid and Draisaitl want him here. Its simple as that.

He won't be here much longer.

 

[CycloneSweep]

He won't be here much longer.

Either will Puljujarvi

 

[Soundwave]

He won't be here much longer.

Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, Foegele all do some decent things, but none of them can finish to save their life, think all three of them are goners.

You can't blow that many McDavid/Draisaitl setups if you're going to play in our top 6, but you can't be paid $3 million dollars to score 10-11 goals on line 3.

We just can't afford it.

We should have signed Max Domi for 3 mill and passed on these guys, they just don't have it.

Shit, Sam Gagner has 3 goals for 750k this year, how many games are Puljujarvi + Yamamoto going to need combined to match even that?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

He won't be here much longer.

Your love for JP has made your posts become ridiculous. It’s weird.

 

[Kaptah]

Your love for JP has made your posts become ridiculous. It’s weird.

Talking about other posters only gets me banned, so I speak solely about the players nowadays. The day Yamamoto gets traded will be a glorious day.

 

[Soundwave]

Talking about other posters only gets me banned, so I speak solely about the players nowadays. The day Yamamoto gets traded will be a glorious day.

Pulju, Yams are gonna go the way of Mikko Koskinen, lol.

These two couldn't finish a sandwich let alone a scoring chance.

Ryan McLeod has moved up over Jesse and Kailer in terms of franchise importance.