Edmonton Oilers: Ranking Players That Are Trending Down This Season

VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 17: Milan Lucic #27 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena December 17, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)"n
VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 17: Milan Lucic #27 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena December 17, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)"n
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Edmonton Oilers
EDMONTON, AB – OCTOBER 30: Kailer Yamamoto #56 of the Edmonton Oilers warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Wild on October 30, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Eighth Player Trending Down

8.  Kailer Yamamoto

Chiarelli can be forgiven for this one a bit as in his defense Yamamoto is only up here as an injury fill-in.  I suspect once Alex Chiasson is back Yamamoto will be sent back down to Bakersfield.

Like Puljujarvi, Yamamoto struggled to start the year and so was sent down to Bakersfield.  He scored his 1st NHL goal on Oct. 18 and then a week later got an assist, but other than that has failed to generate anything offensively.  He sports the same -2 he finished with last season, so although he’s not bleeding without the puck there’s still a small leak there, so to speak.

Like Puljujarvi, he’s only 20, so he’s not done yet by a longshot.

Like Puljujarvi, once Chiasson is back in the lineup, we send him down to Bakersfield and leave him there until he’s absolutely ready to come back.  He was a healthy scratch in the Arizona game so if Chiasson comes back against LA tonight as expected then hopefully he goes back down to play with the Condors right away.

Like Puljujarvi, Yamamoto can put up some offense in the AHL and the preseason but hasn’t been able to translate that to the NHL just yet.

I have a feeling it’s coming; we just need to keep him in the AHL until it comes.  Develop him correctly, and good things will happen.