Edmonton Oilers: Why hasn’t Kailer Yamamoto been signed yet?

One piece of business remains on the Edmonton Oilers and Ken Holland’s to-do list that hasn’t been done yet – re-sign Kailer Yamamoto.

I have to wonder what the hold-up between the Edmonton Oilers and Yamamoto. After all, Yamamoto is a player who had a down year last season producing 8-13-21 in 52 games. I’m sure no one expected Yamamoto to keep scoring at a 0.96 PPG rate as he did when called up for 27 games last season, but I don’t think anyone saw this kind of a nosedive.

That being said, it’s hardly time to panic or call him a bust. After all, Yamamoto will be turning 23 before training camp starts (September 29, to be exact) and he only has 105 NHL games on his resume. He has another 95 to go and another two years of age to go before we truly know what we have with this player and how far he can go.

One thing we do know for sure – he has chemistry with Nugent-Hopkins and Draisaitl two of the best players on the team. Not every NHL player has that, and that’s a great tool to have in his toolbox.

Still, though, he’s an RFA whose contract is finishing after a down year.  A bridge contract is very much warranted – two years at $1.5 million a year should do it. The player has no leverage at all – if he continues to improve then maybe on his next contract he can cash in, but now is not the time for him and his agent to dig in and be stubborn.

Of course, we’re not privy to contract negotiations – it could be Holland is putting his feet over the fire or doing some sort of Tsung T’su art of war maneuver or something. Maybe both are going on.

Bottom line, this should be an easy negotiation for both sides and it’s not done yet. I have to wonder why.