Kailer Yamamoto Revitalized His Career With Utah

His strong play culminated in a one-year, two-way contract with Utah that he signed right before the season began. However, he only appeared in three games with the team, sitting in the press box most nights. With Utah’s lineup getting more and more crowded with the return of Nick Bjugstad, management had a choice to make. 

After Utah’s 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 24, Yamamoto was placed on waivers with the intention of sending him to the American Hockey League (AHL) to play for the Tucson Roadrunners. 24 hours went by, and no one claimed Yamamoto, marking the second time in a couple of months where he was rejected by every team in the league.

With that, Yamamoto headed down to Tucson to a group he didn’t really know outside of the preseason. He had played with Cameron Hebig with the Bakersfield Condors a couple of years ago, and Josh Doan up in Utah before being sent down. However, it was a different group than what he had been playing with up in Salt Lake City.

Yamamoto could’ve taken the demotion poorly. It was the first time he had been in the AHL since the 2019-20 season. It wasn’t what he wanted or really signed up for. However, he gelled quickly with the group and has become a big leader in the Roadrunners’ locker room. 

“It’s obviously different getting sent down,” Yamamoto said. “The guys are great down here. It’s very easy to grow with them day in and day out. It’s like a family down here. I would grind for these guys any day of the week. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Yamamoto played in 51 games for the Roadrunners, producing 51 points. He played a big part in helping the team stay in playoff contention and also helped players around him thrive. Hebig managed to have a career season in the AHL playing on a line with his former Condors teammate. He says that Yamamoto’s NHL experience helped a lot of players in the Roadrunners’ locker room.

“He’s a great player,” Hebig said. “He’s a slippery, shifty, smart player who makes great plays. Obviously, he’s got a ton of experience in the NHL, so I think that experience helps the players and offers up a lot of good advice and knowledge.”

Yamamoto made it a personal mission of his to improve his overall game during his time in the AHL. He worked hard on his confidence in making plays. Yamamoto admitted that he was hesitant about making plays early in the season. The Roadrunners’ coaching staff helped him restore his confidence, which helped him find his game again.

“Down here, they’ve given me a lot of confidence to grow my game,” Yamamoto said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things. The coaching staff has been great. Guys have been great. I think just growing that over time, it’s elevated my game.”

Return to the NHL

It was clear it was only a matter of time until Yamamoto got another shot with Utah, especially after producing at a point-per-game rate in the AHL. On March 26, his time finally came as he was recalled during Utah’s road trip in Florida.

It wouldn’t be long until he made a mark on the scoresheet. In his second game back, Yamamoto managed to score off a rebound. It was his first NHL goal since April 2024. You could tell every Utah player on the bench was ecstatic and happy for him. It was a big weight off his back as well.

“Being able to tuck that one in and see how happy everyone was for me, it was awesome,” Yamamoto said.

Yamamoto’s time in Utah during the final couple of weeks was a crazy stretch for him. After Utah beat the Winnipeg Jets early in April, he was immediately sent down to Tucson to help the Roadrunners beat the Condors in the second game of their series. In a big game that ultimately helped the team clinch a playoff spot, Yamamoto tallied two assists in a 5-2 win. 

He wouldn’t get a lot of time to enjoy the nice weather in sunny Tucson. After the win, Utah once again recalled Yamamoto in time for their game against the Kraken. Against his old team, he drew a double minor thanks to a high stick from Jamie Oleksiak that left his lip bloody. With some time left in the power play, Yamamoto was able to snipe home a shot to score a goal with his mouth still bleeding.

Last summer, it felt like the Kraken threw Yamamoto out. It hurt even more for him, considering he was a restricted free agent (RFA) and the team didn’t even try to re-sign him, and it was his hometown team. Getting the goal against them was a special one for Yamamoto.

“I owed them one,” Yamamoto said. “They didn’t want me, so I came in with a little bit of a vengeance, but it’s a good one for us, for sure.”

Yamamoto finished out the season with Utah. While he didn’t score another goal, he had a lot of good chances and fit in well on the fly with the team. Despite only playing in 315 NHL games in his career, head coach André Tourigny saw Yamamoto as more of an NHL veteran during his time up in Utah.

“He’s a really good player,” Tourigny said. “His hockey IQ, his give-and-go game, and his experience as well, you can see the NHL is not new for him. It’s not like he’s a guy who is trying to break into the NHL; he’s already been here. His playmaking defensively and under pressure is really good.”

After the conclusion of Utah’s season against the St. Louis Blues, Yamamoto was sent back down to the AHL to help the Roadrunners in their final regular-season series against the Colorado Eagles. In order to clinch a playoff spot, the team had to win at least one of their games against the top team in the Pacific Division.

While the team couldn’t pull off a win in Game 1, a 7-4 win in Game 2 clinched the Roadrunners’ third straight playoff appearance. Yamamoto managed to score two points in the series, reaching the 20-goal mark with the team and concluding his AHL season with 56 points. He led the whole team in points and assists despite playing in only 54 of 72 games.

Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin has coached a lot of players who have finished out their season in the AHL after playing in the final couple of games in the NHL. The mindset of a player can get screwed up with the transition back to AHL games. However, Potvin was pleased with Yamamoto’s performance in the final couple of games for the Roadrunners.

“It’s hard for a player to be up at the NHL and finish the season there,” Potvin said. “I know what it can be like for the mindset. You’re seeing the end of your season as well, and then to be sent down and have to turn it up again, it can sometimes play with your mind…Once he got going, you could see that he made some real creative plays.”

In the AHL Playoffs, Yamamoto looked just as good as he did in the regular season. He provided a real physical presence, standing up for the younger players on the team. He sacrificed his body on a breakaway in Game 2 to score the Roadrunners’ third goal of the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to fend off the Abbotsford Canucks who won the series in a deciding Game 3.

What Does Yamamoto’s Future Hold?

With the Game 3 loss, Yamamoto’s season was officially over, and a cloudy future loomed for him. However, it was clear he was in a better state of mind than the previous offseason. Yamamoto was happy to be in Utah’s organization. Even down in the AHL, he managed to better his game and created friendships that will most likely last forever. He felt like he was beloved and wanted, a feeling that just a year ago didn’t exist between him and the Kraken organization. 

“When you step on the ice, it feels like you have 20 guys who have your back,” Yamamoto said. “It is a very awesome thing to have on the ice. Even off the ice, we’re always hanging out. It’s definitely a family. I would die for one of these guys.”

Yamamoto has a busy offseason. He’s getting married to his long-time girlfriend, Bailey, in August, something he’s looking forward to. He will also have to secure another pro contract as his current one with Utah has expired. While no conversations have transpired between him and Utah yet, he would love to return to the organization.

“I love it here,” Yamamoto said. “Obviously, I want to be up in Utah, but I love Tucson. It’s been awesome down here. The weather down here, the guys, the coaching stuff, it’s been awesome. I definitely would love to come back.”

Bringing back Yamamoto would be beneficial to Utah as well. With young prospects like Daniil But potentially coming to the Roadrunners next season, keeping a veteran who can thrive in the AHL and provide NHL experience like Yamamoto can pay dividends in those players’ development. Plus, if Utah runs into injuries, they have a player who can easily be called up and slide into the lineup.

Regardless of Utah’s decision to keep him, Yamamoto has had a season that has put him back on the radar of NHL organizations. His hard work and adaptability in the NHL, and his mentorship and willingness to play his best even in the AHL this season, have proved he still belongs in pro hockey, perhaps even in a full-time role up in the NHL. 

Yamamoto has a big summer ahead of him. His days in the Utah organization could be numbered. However, he should be proud for a long time of what he’s managed to accomplish in Utah and Tucson. It’s a season that revitalized his career, a year after a season that almost derailed it.