Is It Time For The Edmonton Oilers To Trade Kailer Yamamoto?

With the Edmonton Oilers being in contention for a playoff spot they will be looking to add at the deadline to improve their team. In order to improve their team they will have to give something up. This can either be a draft pick, prospect or a NHL roster player.

You Have To Give To Get

If the Edmonton Oilers move a player, I believe their best option is Kailer Yamamoto. This isn’t because he is a bad player or that I have it out for him. He is just a player that may be replaced by a younger player moving forward, like Dylan Holloway.

Yamamoto is only in his second full NHL season. Having been called up in 2019-2020 season. He played in 27 games before COVID stopped the season. In those 27 games he was on the hottest line in hockey. Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins and Yamamoto were scoring at unbelievable clip.

When the Edmonton Oilers got into the play-in rounds in the bubble that line wasn’t used till the final game. This could be one of the biggest mistakes Tippett did in his tenor here, not using that line against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Last season Yamamoto took a step back production wise. Part of this was because he couldn’t score a goal, the other part was the pace he was on was unsustainable. Even though he spent most of his time in the top six either playing with McDavid or Draisaitl, Yamamoto only got 21 points in 52 games.

This season he is producing at about the same pace. He currently has 19 points in 50 games. A player in the top six on this team needs to produce more than that. He is a solid forechecker that has no issues making a hit. He is also reliable in the defensive end.

He does have a bright future ahead of him I think, as he has only played 2 whole seasons. This is also one of the reasons why I think the Edmonton Oilers may look at trading him. Another reason is after this season the Oilers are going to need to resign Yamamoto along with Jesse Puljujarvi.

Keep What You Think Will Be Better

The Edmonton Oilers are close to the cap ceiling as it is and re-signing both of these players will put them even closer. I think that Puljujarvi has the higher upside, which is why they will choose to move Yamamoto instead.

I think if you package Kailer Yamamoto with another player and a pick the Edmonton Oilers should be able to bring in a player that will help them. I also think if Holland is going to make that move it is a player that will make a greater impact on a game to game basis that Yamamoto does.

Personally I like Yamamoto, but in order to make your team better you have to think of only winning, you can’t have feeling get in the way. So if I am Ken Holland I am making calls and letting teams know that if they have what I want Yamamoto is on the board.