Oilers HC: Kailer Yamamoto will play Friday

The Edmonton Oilers have something up their sleeves. For a week now, the hockey world has been wondering how they would clear enough cap space to activate Kailer Yamamoto. The overwhelming sentiment was that Jesse Puljujarvi would end up on waivers. Either he would be claimed by another team, removing his entire $3M cap hit, or buried in the minor leagues, giving them the needed $1.125M.

Thursday, Puljujarvi was missing from practice but did not appear on waivers. The wire was silent, meaning something else would have to happen if Yamamoto is going to play Friday. He looks healthy and even told reporters that he is “feeling really good right now.”

According to head coach Jay Woodcroft, who spoke with reporters, including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, a roster move is coming, and Yamamoto will play Friday. He also called it a “maintenance day” for Puljujarvi, who played a little over 11 minutes last night.

That means a trade is in the pipe or someone else is going on long-term injured reserve to make room. Either way, all eyes will be on Edmonton over the next 24 hours given how many big names they have been connected to over recent weeks.

The team has shown (sometimes limited) interest in Erik Karlsson, Jakob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov and Patrick Kane, among others.

There is one other way that the Oilers could fit Yamamoto in without making a trade or waiving someone. Edmonton could send two of its three waiver-exempt players to the minor leagues and hold a 20-man roster. Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg and Vincent Desharnais can all be loaned back to the AHL without clearing and could create enough cap space, according to PuckPedia.

Carrying a 20-man roster is extremely difficult for any length of time given how one small injury can leave you short-handed. Perhaps it is the only way to get around this problem at the moment, or maybe the Oilers have something else coming down the pipe.