Advertisement 1

Kailer Yamamoto: small player, smaller sample size, huge first impression

Article content

Kailer Yamamoto has made a huge splash with the Edmonton Oilers in a small number of games, just two.

In those two games, Yamamoto has made an excellent first impression for the 2019-20 season, looking every bit like the fast, skilled, defensively sound winger the Oilers need on their second line.

Can he keep up the pace? Can he stay healthy? These are all unknowns. But when it comes to making a good first impression in a season, Yamamoto is acing it.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
Article content

If Yamamoto had two weeks at this level of play, not just two games, he’d be ranked even higher. We’ll see where he is one month from now.

I’ve been doing these monthly performance rankings since the 2015-16 season. In that time, when we look at newcomers brought into the team during the season, few have ranked higher than the tenth overall ranking Yamamoto gets today.

  • October 30, 2015, Darnell Nurse was also called up from the AHL and was ranked fifth overall.
  • Jan. 1, 2019, Caleb Jones recalled from AHL, fifth overall.
  • November 15, 2015, after coming back from an early season injury, Jordan Eberle was at sixth overall.
  • March 11, 2016, Patrick Maroon acquired in trade, seventh overall
  • October 30, 2015, called up from the AHL, Leon Draisaitl, ninth overall.
  • Nov. 26, 2016, Matt Benning cracks line-up, 10th overall
  • Dec. 5, 2017, Jesse Puljujarvi, called up from AHL, 11th overall
  • Nov 1, 2017, Brad Malone recalled from AHL, 11th overall
  • April 7, 2019, Sam Gagner acquired in trade, 11th overall
  • Feb. 1, 2016, Zack Kassian acquired in trade, 13th overall
  • Dec. 14, 2016, Brandon Davidson cracks line-up, 14th overall
  • March 8, 2019, Josh Currie recalled from AHL, 15th overall
  • March 23, 2018, Pontus Aberg acquired in trade, 15th overall
  • Nov. 26, 2016, Drake Caggiula cracks line-up, 16th overall
  • March 23, 2018, Ty Rattie called up from AHL, 16th overall
  • Jan. 28, 2017, Laurent Brossoit recalled from AHL, 17th overall
  • Dec. 5, 2017, Mike Cammalleri acquired in trade, 18th overall
  • Jan. 5, 2018, Andrej Sekera returns from injury, 18th overall
  • Dec. 2, 2015, Jujhar Khaira recalled from AHL, 20th overall
  • Feb. 27, 2017, Iiro Pakarinen recalled from AHL, 20th overall
  • Jan. 1, 2019, Alex Petrovic acquired in trade, 20th overall
  • March 31, 2017, David Desharnais, acquired in trade, 21st overall
  • March 23, 2018, Ethan Bear recalled from AHL, 21st overall
  • Jan. 1, 2019, Brandon Manning acquired in trade, 21st overall
  • Jan. 1, 2019, Joe Gambardella recalled from AHL, 22nd overall
  • March 23, 2018, Al Montoya acquired in trade, 22nd overall
  • Dec. 3, 2018, Ryan Spooner acquired in trade, 22nd overall
  • Dec. 3, 2018, Dennis Wideman acquired in trade, 23rd overall
  • Nov. 2, 2018, Kevin Gravel cracks line-up, 24th overall
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

What can we make from these in-season newcomer rankings?

Well, if you come in as a bottom rung player, say outside of the Top Ten on the team, it’s difficult to stick with the team.

Of the players who came in below the Top Ten, only Zack Kassian, Jujhar Khaira and Ethan Bear are still with the Oilers and Bear needed a full year in the AHL between his debut period and his current successful run.

If Khaira’s inconsistent play does not pick up, he’ll soon be moved out, given his ongoing lowly rankings here.

As for players who can in with a bang and a high ranking, Caleb Jones has yet to pan out for the Oilers, but I’m still not betting against him. All the other Top Ten players are solid NHLers.

Perhaps this goes to show that it’s best to be at the top of your game when you get that NHL chance, as the first impression you make appears to sticky and likely a strong indicator of your actual NHL potential.

Staples on business

Man bites dog: Yes, Conservatives have come up with the boldest plan to fight climate change

Nuclear power plant. (File photo)

At the Cult

STAPLES: Player grades in OT loss to Sabres

LEAVINS: Oilers still in hunt for playoffs

McCURDY: Looking back at the year that was by calendar year

STAPLES: Neal nets 3 as the Oilers ring in the New Year

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    This Week in Flyers