The Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 season is officially over. The team finished with a 43-33-6 record, good enough to clinch the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. Despite a strong series, the Mammoth lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1 in six games. Meanwhile, their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, finished with a 34-28-10 record, placing seventh in the Pacific Division, outside of a playoff spot.
With the season in the books, it’s time to look at the 49 players under an NHL contract and grade their 2025-26 season. Over the course of this summer, we’ll take a look at their season, their future, and give them an overall grade. We’re going alphabetically by first name. Next up is Kailer Yamamoto.
Player Info
Age: 27
2025-26 NHL Stats: 13 goals, 10 assists, 23 points in 59 games
2025-26 Postseason Stats: One goal, four assists, five points in six games
Originally Acquired: Signed in free agency on Oct. 6, 2024, by the Utah Hockey Club
Contract Status: Pending unrestricted free agent (UFA)
Season Overview
Last season, Yamamoto played a big role in the Mammoth organization. Living in a suitcase, the forward was sent up and down from the NHL to the AHL on nearly a daily basis. With the Roadrunners, Yamamoto helped the team make the playoffs, while with the Mammoth, he proved, especially towards the end of the season, that he is still an everyday NHL player. It earned him another year-long contract to continue his NHL career.
Being an everyday player wouldn’t be easy going into this season, despite Yamamoto’s play during the 2024-25 campaign. During the offseason, the Mammoth signed Brandon Tanev, traded for JJ Peterka, and brought over Daniil But from Russia. Despite this, with a strong preseason and injuries in the lineup, Yamamoto earned a spot in the opening night lineup.
Yamamoto played the first four games of the season, playing in the bottom six. He was eventually replaced in the lineup with Liam O’Brien. Yamamoto was healthy scratched the next five games before being inserted back into the lineup for a game against the Winnipeg Jets. He produced his first point of the season in that game via an assist on Michael Carcone’s goal.
Once again, Yamamoto was replaced with O’Brien for the next game against the Edmonton Oilers before being placed back in the lineup for a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite being held out of the lineup again, Yamamoto returned in a big way, scoring his first goal of the season against the Lightning. The forward managed to stick in the lineup, scoring another goal three games later against the Montreal Canadiens. While Yamamoto was healthy scratched two more times in November, he was put back into the lineup each time. He also started producing more, putting up three points in the final five games of the month.
To start December, Yamamoto produced three points in his first six games of the month, including a goal against his former team, the Seattle Kraken. Despite the production, he was rotated in and out of the lineup again with Tanev. Eventually, with Alex Kerfoot returning, Yamamoto returned to the press box full-time.
Seven games after Yamamoto’s final game of 2025, he was placed back into the lineup due to Kevin Stenlund dealing with illness. However, the forward continued to go in and out of the lineup until a two-point game against the Nashville Predators solidified his spot in the lineup.
Two games later, Yamamoto put up three points against the Carolina Hurricanes, including two goals. It started a three-game point streak, including another two-goal game right after the game against the Hurricanes. Yamamoto produced a total of six points in that span of games.
Yams makes it even in Carolina! 🔥🍠 pic.twitter.com/3FdCpKvIjv
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 30, 2026
Unfortunately for Yamamoto, he went pointless for the next 12 games. He broke the drought with a goal against the Dallas Stars. Despite getting the goal, the forward continued to struggle, resulting in him being healthy scratched in late March in a game against the Washington Capitals.
Ahead of the Mammoth’s game against the Los Angeles Kings in late March, head coach André Tourigny made one of the smartest lineup changes of the season. Tourigny placed Yamamoto on the second line alongside Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther. It was a smart move that allowed Yamamoto to play alongside two speedy, skilled players with more ice time, something that he’s thrived on doing before joining the Mammoth.
The change worked right away. Yamamoto produced five points in the final nine games of the season. It wasn’t just his game that was elevated. Guenther and Cooley’s production, which had tapered off in the weeks prior, jumped back to an impressive production rate. Both had 12 points in those 12 games.
Yamamoto finished with 23 points in 59 games, the fourth most in his career. The 59 games were the most the player had played since the 2023-24 season with the Kraken. His 13 goals were the second most Yamamoto had scored in a season, trailing only his 20-goal 2021-22 season with the Edmonton Oilers.
It was clear that Yamamoto’s game had come a long way from when he was a camp invitee just almost two years ago. His confidence grew, his two-way game got better, and he learned how to play in almost any role he was given, whether it be on the fourth line or on the second line.
“It started back in Tucson, working on my offensive game and working on my defensive side,” Yamamoto said. “Getting sent down last year wasn’t ideal, but it told me things about myself, and what I need to do as a player to get better, whether that was working on my shots, being a little bit more competitive, and stuff like that.”
The forward’s production didn’t continue immediately into the playoffs, going without a point in Game 1. However, Yamamoto and his line came up big in Game 2, helping the Mammoth win their first playoff game. He produced two points in the win, which led to him producing another assist in Game 3.
Yamamoto put up points in the final two games of the series, including a goal in Game 6. However, it didn’t stop the Golden Knights from eliminating the Mammoth in that game, ending the forward’s season. Yamamoto ended up tied for the team lead in points in the postseason with five.
The Future
Just like last summer, Yamamoto finds himself as a free agent. However, unlike last season, when he only played 12 games, the forward is coming off a 59-game season. Ultimately, he proved what he set out to do.
“I belong here,” Yamamoto said. “I played in the NHL last year, but I feel like I proved this year that I belong here, that I should be in the NHL.”
At points in time during the season, Yamamoto didn’t just prove that he belongs in the NHL but that he arguably belongs in a top-six spot on an NHL roster. Sure, he’s not going to put up 40 goals in a season like Guenther, but he plays well alongside speedy, skilled forwards and makes them better players as well as better himself, too.
Arguably, Yamamoto should’ve played more games than he played as well. He had a better season than Tanev, Kerfoot, O’Brien, and Stenlund, all of whom replaced him in the lineup at one point or another. However, that’s something that will follow Yamamoto his whole career, and that’s because of his height. Taller and more physical players will be placed by most coaches ahead of him, but it’s the smaller forward that really shows up offensively when teams need him most, and he showed that this season.
Almost immediately after the Mammoth lost the Golden Knights series, questions swirled around Yamamoto and his future, especially after being near a point per game in the playoffs. Tourigny voiced his support for his forward and acknowledged Yamamoto’s role with the Mammoth.
“We didn’t have that discussion,” Tourigny said. “I don’t know when. We’ll have it soon. But I love Yami. There’s no doubt about it, he’s a big part of our team.”
Yamamoto also told reporters he would like to return to the Mammoth. However, as of right now, no extension talks have been reported on, and he is set to hit the open market as a UFA.
It’s probably not likely that Yamamoto gets any sort of long-term contract. Despite the successful season, it’s been a pretty disappointing couple of seasons for the forward. This season and postseason have certainly improved his stock, and it’s hard to imagine a team not offering him another prove-it deal this summer. Teams with players that play like Cooley and Guenther should definitely take a tab on the forward.
However, ultimately, the Mammoth should consider resigning Yamamoto. He was by far Guenther and Cooley’s best linemate. He is a player who has a great attitude, whether it’s on the ice, in the pressbox, or in the AHL. He is also someone who gives it all from puck drop to the final buzzer. Yamamoto is someone who embodies a hard work ethic, and it’s a type of player the Mammoth can afford to resign.
There are quite a few forwards who will press for a spot on the opening night roster, including rookies like Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, and Cole Beaudoin. Yet, the AHL might be the best spot for them this upcoming season, leaving that important role open in the top six, and that’s where Yamamoto should be. He showed this past season he can thrive in that role, and if the Mammoth are serious about developing all those first-round picks properly while continuing to contend for a playoff spot, bringing back Yamamoto into the fold should be considered.
A one-to-two-year deal for Yamamoto is the most realistic and what’s best for the Mammoth. A deal similar to Carcone’s new extension would fit the bill. It’s a raise from the money the forward was making this past season, and it’s got term on it. If all of those aforementioned prospects find their way into the top six by the 2027-28 season and push Yamamoto out of the lineup, the Mammoth can easily flip his contract.
Time is ticking, though, and if the Mammoth ultimately don’t resign him, someone will pick him up. As mentioned, wherever Yamamoto goes, it’s not going to be easy for him to be an everyday player. He’ll always get challenged because of his height. However, that doesn’t dissuade Yamamoto from doing his best to thrive in the NHL.
“This league’s good,” Yamamoto said. “There are a lot of amazing players, a lot of guys, young guys coming up right now. So it’s definitely challenging. Every day is a different challenge.”
It will be interesting to see where Yamamoto ends up this offseason. He is a player who possesses the skill and personality to play well in a team’s top six or, if needed, be a solid two-way player in the bottom six. If Yamamoto ends up leaving the Mammoth organization, it might be a player the team will miss more than they expect.
Overall Grade
As mentioned, Yamamoto did exactly what he set out to do this season and took the next step from bouncing back from the lowest point in his career a couple of summers ago. He showed that he can be an everyday player in the NHL and even a guy that teams can trust in their top six.
If Yamamoto were taller, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he would already have a long-term contract with an NHL team. It’s something that many staff and players have said about him during his time with the Roadrunners. However, height is something that has never stopped Yamamoto from trying to get that next contract, and it never will, especially in this big offseason for the forward.
Overall, Yamamoto is getting an A-minus for this season. He might’ve struggled at times during the season, especially in February and March. However, when given the right and appropriate role, Yamamoto was at times one of the most important forwards on the ice for the Mammoth. Down the stretch and in the postseason, the forward put up great numbers and made the players around him better.
For that play alone, the Mammoth should strongly consider bringing back Yamamoto. Reuniting him with Guenther and Cooley for a season while some of the new rookies develop in the AHL might be the best move for the second line and the team. However, Yamamoto is a player who wants to get better every day and will work hard no matter what. It’s a type of player every team would love to have in their locker room, and with that attitude, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets back to the 20-goal mark sooner rather than later.
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