2. Kailer Yamamoto – Right Wing (22nd overall, 2017)
Kailer Yamamoto stole a roster spot with the Edmonton Oilers last fall after a stellar showing in training camp, but he was returned to the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL in November without burning a year off his entry-level deal. Yamamoto had no goals and three assists in nine games with Edmonton in 2017-18 and even spent some time on the top line with McDavid.
While it was encouraging to see Yamamoto had the smarts and quickness to play with a player of McDavid’s ilk at age 19, going up against the opposition’s top defenders each night was not an ideal spot for the raw rookie.
In his first game back with his hometown Chiefs, Yamamoto notched four points, but only had three assists in his next eight contests, and went 11 consecutive games without a goal. After capturing a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship (where he did perform as well as expected), Yamamoto tore up the WHL in the season’s second-half, tallying 19 goals and 52 points in the final 27 games (1.92 points per game) of his major junior career.
The soon-to-be 20-year-old will turn pro this fall and could spend half, or even the entire season in the AHL. But, given his skill set and immense inner drive, as well as Edmonton’s lack of depth at right wing, there’s a real chance Yamamoto could earn a spot in the opening-night lineup.