Bill Armstrong pulled Kailer Yamamoto aside after Utah Hockey Club’s practice in Park City on Oct. 4.
The general manager had some news for the forward who joined Utah’s training camp on a professional tryout, looking to earn an NHL contract ahead of the regular season.
“I was a little nervous,” Yamamoto said. “But [Armstrong] looked like he was smiling so I was hoping it was good news.”
Good news it was. Armstrong offered Yamamoto a contract and the one-year, two-way deal was officially signed on Oct. 6. Following three weeks of putting his all into practice and skating in six of Utah’s seven preseason games, Yamamoto proved to management he was worthy of a roster spot — one that was never guaranteed.
“Obviously not coming in with a contract was a little nerve-racking,” Yamamoto said. “I feel like you’ve got to do a little bit extra. Obviously, everyone is a little bit more secure than me, so you’ve got to put in the extra time and try to show the coaches and upper staff that you belong.”
(Godofredo A. Vásquez | AP) Utah Hockey Club forward Kailer Yamamoto (56) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in San Jose, Calif.
The 26-year-old winger had three goals in the preseason while playing in both the top and bottom six, and on the power play and penalty kill. Yamamoto’s versatility and willingness to battle stood out to head coach André Tourigny early on.
“I see an NHL player, that’s what I see,” Tourigny said. “The old saying, ‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.’ He has a lot of fight in him.”
A player on a PTO can be released at any point of training camp. Yamamoto’s future was in question daily, and the only thing he could do to give himself some sense of stability was work harder than the guy next to him.
“It was definitely a mental battle,” Yamamoto said.
Out of the 30 players league-wide who entered training camp on a PTO, Yamamoto is one of eight who has a contract at the beginning of the regular season.
“It was huge,” forward Lawson Crouse said. “Super proud of him. He came in and he earned a spot. He played great. More importantly, he gelled with the guys right away. You love to see guys get rewarded for their hard work.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones (4) and Utah Hockey Club Liam O'Brien (38), in the inaugural game between the Utah Hockey Club and the Chicago Blackhawks, at the Delta Center, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
While the stress of earning a roster spot is now behind Yamamoto, the new challenge is breaking into the nightly lineup. Utah Hockey Club is carrying 14 forwards, meaning two have to sit out every game.
Yamamoto has been scratched for Utah’s first two games of the season; he and Michael Carcone were sidelined on opening night. Carcone entered the lineup in place for Liam O’Brien on the fourth line in Thursday’s 5-4 overtime win against the New York Islanders.
This rotation is something that the team will have to handle all season, but forward depth is a good problem to have.
“I think it’s a long season. What’s the reality now might be totally different in two weeks or two months from now,” Tourigny said. “That doesn’t make it easy. …They’re really good players so they have the right to want to play every night. But that’s the beauty of our team now — we have competition from the inside.”
Tourigny’s decision on who to slot into the bottom-six role will likely be matchup-based or, if someone’s on a heater, let them roll. O’Brien – who has been an early fan favorite for Utah – offers a physical edge when called upon, whereas Carcone has more of a scoring touch (he had 21 goals in 2023-24.) Despite Yamamoto’s smaller size, he can bring both of those elements into the game, too.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Michael Carcone (53), Utah Hockey Club, brings the puck down the ice, as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (49) defends, in NHL preseason action between the Utah Hockey Club and the Colorado Avalanche, at the Maverick Center, on Saturday Oct. 5, 2024.
“We understand the situation and we’re men — we know that obviously it’s just going to be part of it. You just have to show up every day mentally ready and prepare yourself,” O’Brien said. “My role is a little bit different from the guys I guess I’m competing with. For me, it’s having that physical presence and being detailed within the system.”
Yamamoto is not shying away from the internal competition; all good teams have it. And after all, he has been in “fight mode” for weeks leading up to the season. Once Yamamoto gets his chance to make his Utah Hockey Club debut, he said he wants to show his skill, grittiness and strong defensive game to complement the scoring and playmaking.
“It will be fun,” Yamamoto said. “I like that challenge of fighting for the lineup and then once I’m in the lineup hopefully I can play well enough to stay.”
