Five Questions with Kailer Yamamoto

NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Five Questions With …" will run every Tuesday throughout the 2017-18 regular season. We talk to key figures in the game and ask them questions to gain insight into their lives, careers and the latest news.
The latest edition features Edmonton Oilers forward prospect and United States National Junior Team right wing Kailer Yamamoto.

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Edmonton Oilers forward prospect Kailer Yamamoto never has allowed talk of his small stature offset what he truly believes in his big heart.
It's one reason Yamamoto (5-foot-8, 154 pounds) will be playing a vital role for the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo. They'll open the tournament with a Group A preliminary-round game against Denmark at KeyBank Center on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN, RDS).
Yamamoto, chosen by the Oilers with the No. 22 pick of the 2017 NHL Draft, also happens to be the player with the most NHL experience on the U.S. roster. He had three assists in nine games with the Oilers before being returned to his hometown team, Spokane (Washington) of the Western Hockey League. The Oilers generated 60.69 percent of the shots at even strength when he was on the ice.
"I don't know what his size is but it doesn't matter because he plays like a 6-foot-2 power forward," U.S. World Junior Championship coach Bob Motzko said.
Since being returned to Spokane, Yamamoto has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) and 32 shots on goal in 13 games. In 203 WHL games in four seasons, he has 239 points (86 goals, 153 assists).
Yamamoto spoke with NHL.com about draft day, his NHL goals, and what he needs to do as a top-line player for the U.S. at the World Junior Championship.
Here are Five Questions with … Kailer Yamamoto:
In a span of five months you met Wayne Gretzky, played on a line with Connor McDavid and played against Sidney Crosby in the regular season. Can you put into words what that meant?
"Being drafted by Edmonton is something I won't forget since it's close to my hometown [Spokane, Washington], and meant my parents would be able to drive up and watch some games. Meeting Wayne Gretzky after being drafted on stage was crazy. When he shook my hand, I was like, 'Holy smokes.' Skating with McDavid in training camp was ridiculous. I was trying to keep up with him but his hands go as fast as his legs. Playing against Crosby, who was always my favorite player growing up, was hard to believe. It didn't seem real to me at first, but once you're on the ice it's just another game."

You are good friends with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson, another smaller player (5-8, 183), and a Spokane native. What did you learn from him?
"[Johnson] always told me to put my best foot forward, work hard and never take a day off. I needed to be working on skills on or off the ice, be a leader in the locker room. He told me never do anything that would hurt your reputation and to try and be that team-first guy. I still watch him a lot and think he's one of the fastest guys in the NHL. He gets so low and it's hard for guys to knock him off the puck. He's also a great passer and shooter."
Were you ever discouraged from playing hockey because you weren't tall enough? Also, what other sports did you play as a youngster?
"I never felt discouraged. My dad always said, 'It's not how big you are, it's what's in your heart.' I grew up playing baseball, soccer, racquetball, and love to golf and fish in the summer. I like to be outdoors, and I'm into frisbee golf as well. Baseball was probably my second-favorite sport. I was a pitcher, had a good curveball, and then played more of the outfield because of my speed. I played for nine years but quit when I was 14 years old because that's when I moved to Los Angeles and played hockey for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings."
What will it take for you to remain a fixture in the Oilers lineup next season?
"I just think I need to keep working on my skill set. The coaches told me to become a leader [in Spokane], solidify plays in the middle and along the wall, and make sure I'm bearing down on my chances. I had a lot of chances in Edmonton but couldn't find the net. They told me that instead of just shooting the puck to the net, pretend like you're going to put it through the net. My goal is to make Edmonton's roster next season, remain up there and hopefully start my NHL career."

Can a prolific top line, of which you will be a part of at the World Junior Championship, be the difference between winning gold or silver at the tournament?
"Yes. You look at all those teams that have won gold in the past and you'll find a solid top line. Finland had Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrik Laine and Sebastian Aho in 2016, and the United States had Clayton Keller, Colin White and Joey Anderson in 2017. Those lines played a big part. There were a lot of other good players, but when I look back at the line for Finland, they really dominated that tournament and they helped them win gold. So a first line can really help."