Kraken Sign Kailer Yamamoto to One-Year Contract

The Seattle Kraken have signed forward Kailer Yamamoto to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.

Kailer Yamamoto is on his third team since Thursday, joining the Seattle Kraken on a one-year contract worth $1.5 million.

The Spokane native is the first Washington-born player to sign with the Kraken and spent his entire WHL career with the Spokane Chiefs. The Edmonton Oilers drafted him 22nd overall in 2017, and he's had 50 goals and 118 points in 244 career games.

More recently, Yamamoto's production has struggled. He mustered up 25 points in 58 games for Edmonton in 2022-23, and the Oilers traded him and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday for future considerations. The Red Wings signed Kostin to a new contract but chose to buy out Yamamoto.

The Kraken could use Yamamoto in their lineup after choosing not to qualify pending RFA forward Daniel Sprong before the Friday deadline. Sprong signed a one-year, $2-million contract with the Wings on Saturday.

Seattle also signed defenseman Brian Dumoulin on Saturday to a two-year deal as they look to improve on their second-round playoff appearance this past season. They still have some cap room to work with to fill out three more spots on their active roster as well. One of their big remaining priorities is to re-sign RFA defenseman Vince Dunn to a new contract after a career year.

Yamamoto will look to at least rediscover his career-high production, which came in 2021-22 when he had 41 points in 82 games. It's a prove-it deal for the 24-year-old in his home state to make a positive influence on a balanced Kraken team.