- Kailer Yamamoto signed a two-year extension with the Utah Mammoth worth $3.5 million
- The deal carries a $1.75 million cap hit and keeps him in Utah through 2027-28
- Read below for Bill Armstrong’s reaction and Yamamoto’s bounce-back season
Kailer Yamamoto is staying in Utah.
The Mammoth re-signed the 27-year-old forward to a two-year extension on Monday, a $3.5 million deal with a $1.75 million cap hit. He was less than 48 hours from unrestricted free agency.
Utah made it official Monday afternoon:
Yamamoto bet on himself last summer, taking a one-year, two-way contract with the Mammoth. It worked out. He spent the entire season in the NHL and posted 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 59 games with a plus-11 rating and just under 12 minutes of ice time a night.
General manager Bill Armstrong was not shy about wanting him back. Armstrong spoke about what Yamamoto adds to the lineup:
“Kailer is a versatile forward that wins battles and can produce offense for us. Kailer is important to our team and we are thrilled that he will return to the Mammoth.”
He chipped in five more points across six playoff games as Utah took Vegas to the wire in the first round.
The new deal means something for a player whose career stalled after Edmonton. The Oilers drafted Yamamoto 22nd overall in 2017, and he spent time skating alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl before the production dried up. A stop in Seattle did not stick either.
Now he sits at 160 points (73 goals, 87 assists) in 374 regular-season games across three NHL teams.
Utah has stayed busy this summer, with the team linked to names like Kirill Marchenko on the trade market. Locking up a reliable middle-six forward before July 1 takes one more decision off Armstrong’s plate.
