Kailer Yamamoto Bio
Kailer Yamamoto, born September 29, 1998, in Spokane, Washington, is an American professional ice hockey player who plays right wing for the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected in the first round, 22nd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2017 NHL entry draft, he entered the league as one of the most talked-about prospects of his draft class despite his modest 5-foot-8 frame. He has since built a career that has carried him across multiple organizations and into a leading role with Utah’s professional system.
Yamamoto is recognized for his quick hands, sharp offensive instincts, and ability to contribute in tight spaces along the boards and around the net. Throughout his professional journey, he has continued to develop a reputation as a determined and crafty forward whose hockey IQ outpaces his physical stature. His path from Spokane youth hockey to the NHL reflects years of steady progression through junior, professional, and international competition.
Early Life and Background
Kailer Yamamoto was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, where he grew up surrounded by a strong hockey culture. Through his paternal grandfather, Yamamoto is of Japanese descent, giving him a unique multicultural background within American professional hockey. He is the younger brother of Keanu Yamamoto, and the two brothers learned to skate with the help of the mother of longtime NHL forward Tyler Johnson. That early relationship would later evolve into offseason training sessions with Johnson, giving Kailer access to a professional-level development environment from a young age.
Growing up in Spokane, Yamamoto was constantly on the ice, playing organized hockey well before his teenage years. He represented the Los Angeles Selects at the 2011 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, an event widely regarded as a showcase for emerging North American talent. He later skated for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League, where he racked up 40 points in only 34 games, numbers that confirmed his offensive promise and set the stage for his transition to major junior hockey.
Path to the NHL
Yamamoto’s climb toward the NHL formally began when the Spokane Chiefs selected him in the fifth round, 105th overall, in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. In his rookie WHL season of 2014–15, he posted 23 goals and 57 points in 68 games, immediately establishing himself as one of the league’s most productive young players. During that developmental stretch, he also represented Team USA at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where he emerged as a top scorer and gained valuable international experience.
His standing as a premier prospect grew even stronger during the 2016–17 WHL campaign, when he was named WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 30, 2016, after registering seven points in four games. He finished the season ranked sixth in league scoring with 42 goals and 57 assists for 99 points, earning a place on the 2016–17 Western Conference Second All-Star Team. He was also one of only three WHL players invited to the 2016 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, further confirming his status as a first-round talent ahead of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Kailer Yamamoto Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
On June 23, 2017, the Edmonton Oilers drafted Yamamoto in the first round, 22nd overall, drawing immediate comparisons to Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau because of his small stature and skilled playing style. After a strong training camp, he made the Oilers’ opening-night roster for the 2017–18 season and debuted on October 4, 2017, against the Calgary Flames in a 3–0 win. He recorded his first career point, an assist, on October 14 against the Ottawa Senators, but after nine games and three assists he was returned to Spokane to continue his development at the major junior level on November 6, 2017.
Yamamoto returned to the Oilers full-time for the 2018–19 season, making the 25-player opening roster and scoring his first NHL goal on October 18 against the Boston Bruins in a 3–2 overtime victory. That breakthrough marked the beginning of his permanent NHL presence and gave Edmonton a skilled, diminutive winger capable of producing offensively in a top-six role.
Edmonton Breakthrough (2019–2023)
Throughout his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers, Yamamoto gradually cemented himself as a reliable two-way contributor on the wing. Following the 2021–22 season, he and the Oilers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $3.1 million per year contract extension on August 4, 2022, signaling the organization’s commitment to his continued growth. His perseverance was tested during the 2022–23 season when injuries limited his availability, including a stint on long-term injured reserve beginning January 17, 2023.
Upon returning from injury in mid-February 2023, Yamamoto responded with one of the most memorable stretches of his Oilers career. In 15 games after his return, he tallied five goals and one assist, including a March 3 performance in which he scored two goals just 40 seconds apart, the fastest pair by an Oiler since Taylor Hall in October 2013. He capped his Edmonton playoff run by scoring the series-clinching goal late in the third period of Game 6 against the Los Angeles Kings on April 29, a moment that underscored his knack for delivering in high-league situations.
Utah Mammoth Era (2024–Present)
Yamamoto’s time with Edmonton ended on June 29, 2023, when he was traded, along with Klim Kostin, to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations. A day later, Detroit placed him on unconditional waivers for a buyout, freeing him to sign a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Seattle Kraken on July 2, 2023. In 2023–24, he appeared in 59 regular-season games for Seattle but managed only 16 points, marking a career-low offensive output as he searched for his next opportunity.
As an unsigned free agent entering the 2024–25 season, Yamamoto accepted an invitation to the Utah Mammoth training camp on a professional tryout on September 12, 2024. After a productive preseason in which he scored three goals in four games, he signed a one-year contract with Utah on October 6, 2024. He has since spent time with the Mammoth’s AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, where he was suspended for the March 8 game against the Bakersfield Condors following a spearing incident on March 7.
Driving Style and Strengths
Yamamoto’s game is built on speed, agility, and elite hand-eye coordination rather than physical dominance. He excels at protecting the puck in tight areas, creating offense off the cycle, and finding soft spots in defensive coverage. His hockey IQ, refined through years of training with Tyler Johnson and competing in elite junior and international events, allows him to anticipate plays and contribute in all three zones.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career highlights, Yamamoto’s two goals in 40 seconds against an unspecified opponent on March 3, 2023, stand out as a record-setting burst, while his series-clinching goal against the Los Angeles Kings on April 29 cemented his reputation as a clutch playoff performer. His first NHL goal against the Boston Bruins on October 18, 2018, marked his arrival as an everyday NHL contributor, and his bronze medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships reinforced his credentials on the international stage.
Kailer Yamamoto Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yamamoto comes from a close-knit Spokane family with deep roots in hockey culture. He is the younger brother of Keanu Yamamoto, and through their shared upbringing, both brothers developed a passion for the game under the mentorship of Tyler Johnson’s mother, who taught them to skate as youngsters. The family’s Japanese heritage, passed down through his paternal grandfather, has remained an important part of his identity as he has progressed through the professional ranks.
Personal Life
Yamamoto married his longtime girlfriend, Bailey Williams, on August 10, 2025, after a relationship that began in 2016. The couple has been a steady presence throughout his professional career, and Williams has often been credited by Yamamoto as a source of support during injury recoveries and team transitions. He continues to make his offseason home in Spokane, Washington, where he remains closely connected to his family and the community that shaped his hockey journey.
2025 Season Performance
Yamamoto’s 2025 storyline has centered on proving he still belongs at the NHL level after a difficult 2023–24 campaign with Seattle. After earning a one-year contract with the Utah Mammoth on October 6, 2024, following a strong preseason, he has split his season between Utah and its AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. His offensive production with Tucson, combined with his three preseason goals, suggests he remains capable of generating scoring chances when given consistent ice time.
The Mammoth’s investment in Yamamoto reflects their belief that his skill set can translate within their developing forward group. While a March 7 spearing incident led to a one-game suspension on March 8, his overall body of work this season has positioned him as a depth scoring option capable of stepping into the NHL lineup when needed. The organization has valued his veteran presence and his ability to mentor younger prospects within Utah’s system.
Looking ahead, Yamamoto’s future in Utah will depend on his ability to translate his AHL production back to the NHL level and carve out a consistent role on the Mammoth’s bottom six. With his contract expiring after the 2024–25 season, the coming months will likely determine whether Utah extends him or whether he once again tests the open market. Regardless, his journey from Spokane youth hockey to a multi-team NHL veteran reflects a career defined by persistence, adaptability, and an enduring love for the game.
