Kailer Yamamoto and his older brother Keanu Yamamoto were hockey enthusiasts from a young age which would drive them into ice hockey professionals.
Growing up, the Yamamoto brothers were much more of competitors along with being friends. The ice hockey bonded them with a strong connection yet rivalry still held tight.
Both Kailer and Keanu played for the WHL team Spokane Chiefs before the former went for the NHL while the latter joined McGill University.
Keanu is yet to make his deal with NHL teams; on the other, his younger brother Kailer is already making waves with Edmonton Oilers in the NHL.
Kailer Yamamoto joined the Oilers as the 22nd overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry draft & currently serves as the team’s right winger.
Along with NHL & WHL, the Spokane, Washington-born has played for the United States junior national ice hockey team.
In 2014, he led the United States to the silver medal in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring three goals in six games.
Moreover, Kailer led the junior national team to win the bronze medals: in IIHF World U18 Championship (2016) & IIHF World Junior Championship (2018).
Currently, he is in a relationship with his longtime girlfriend named Bailey Williams.
Kailer’s Elder Brother Keanu Yamamoto: Their Age Gap
Keanu Yamamoto, the elder brother of NHL star Kailer Yamamoto, is also an ice hockey player.
Keanu was born on May 27, 1996, in Spokane, Washington, and is 27 years old as of 2024.
Kailer (b. September 29, 1998) and Keanu Yamamoto have an age gap of two years, four months & 2 days.
Born to ice hockey lover parents: LeAnn and Russell Yamamoto, they were introduced to skates & ice at a young age.
In fact, the two Yamamoto brothers were so in love with hockey that their parents had to ‘yank them off the ice & make them go to school.
At the tender age of three, they learned skating from Debbie Johnson, the mother of the NHL player & two-time Stanley Cup winner Tyler Johnson.
Keanu Yamamoto: From WHL To ECHL
A graduate of Mead High School, Keanu Yamamoto focused on junior ice hockey aiming to reach out for the college callouts.
He played the 2011-12 & 2012-13 season with the U-16 team Los Angeles Jr. Kings.
Then, Keanu decided to give the Western Hockey League (WHL) a shot & signed with Spokane Chiefs in 2013. As a WHL rookie, he scored 11 goals along with 14 assists for 25 points in 57 games.
It was a season later (i.e. in the 2014-15 season), his younger brother Kailer Yamamoto also joined the Spokane Chiefs.
After three seasons, the Oilers picked Kailer in the 2017 NHL entry draft.
On the other, Keanu Yamamoto played for the Chiefs for four seasons (2013- 2017) totaling 71 goals & 106 assists from 271 games.
After that, he went to McGill University, as a freshman in the 2017-18 season & played as a right wing until the 2021-22 season, wearing sweater number #20.
At Mcgill, he managed 82 points (29g-53a) in 98 games.
In July 2022, Keanu signed with the Rapid City Rush of ECHL for the 2022-23 season. It is a minor league team- an affiliate of the Calgary Flames of the NHL.
Does He Have A Sister?
No, Kailer & Keanu are the only children of their parents. The ice hockey player brothers do not have any sisters.
Besides being brothers, the two are rivals of each other & have cemented themselves as key figures in their respective teams.
Kailer Yamomoto Injuries
Considered one of the high-impact sports, players of the NHL are barely free from injuries, so is for 27-year-old ice hockey star Kailer Yamamoto.
Yamamoto, the Edmonton Oilers’ right winger, suffered a groin injury in the 2018-19 season that led him to miss eight games. Subsequently, in the 2019 spring, he underwent wrist surgery.
On February 23, 2020, he sustained an ankle injury during a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings. It kept him away for a week before his return on March 2 & won against the Nashville Predators.
His two NHL seasons (2020-21 & 2021-22) were also not free of injuries but nothing too serious.
However, the 2022-23 season has drawn a notable concern about Yamamoto’s injuries, having missed 23 games.
After missing seven games due to an undisclosed injury during the Oilers’ road trip, Kailer was put on injured reserve on November 27, 2022, before activating him on December 5.
However, on January 17, 2023, he was again placed in the injured reserve (long-term) option for a minimum of 26 days.
Kailer Yamamoto returned to the roster on February 17, 2023, in a game against the NY Rangers but lost.
As of this writing, the NHL player has not sustained any major injuries. Every time, he gets injured, Kailer’s proved his worth upon return- no doubt, “Injury makes the comeback sweeter.”
