The Capitals are still waiting to hear about T.J. Oshie's availability for the upcoming season.
The Washington Capitals overhauled roughly a third of their roster and still have some questions going into training camp, and all the while, there are still some interesting names to keep an eye on in free agency. One name in particular that may be worth keeping an eye on for the Capitals: Kailer Yamamoto.
Yamamoto, who went in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, is still an unrestricted free agent after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Seattle Kraken. Could Washington be a potential landing spot?
The 25-year-old has shown upside in his still-young career, and just two seasons ago, had 20 goals and 21 assists with the Edmonton Oilers. However, he's dealt with injury and inconsistency over the last handful of years, and in turn, hasn't been able to prove his worth.
So, why would the Capitals be an option?
Washington is still waiting to see what the future holds for T.J. Oshie, who brings scoring and depth on the right wing. Without Oshie, there would be vacancies, and Yamamoto could be worth rolling the dice on.
The 5-foot-8 winger brings speed and skill to the mix and plays with energy, while he can also kill penalties and play multiple rolls. He is somewhat similar to Conor Sheary, who lacked size but ultimately played a big role and had scoring prowess to boot.
Yamamoto would bring another promising prospect to the mix and give him a chance at a fresh start, and it would also give the Capitals another solid depth option. He would also fit in well in Hershey if he doesn't crack the NHL full-time.
Of course, there's the question of space, as the team already has Sonny Milano and Taylor Raddysh competing for NHL ice time, while Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ethen Frank, Pierrick Dubé and Bogdan Trineyev are also on the rise.
Still, it's an option to consider, as he'd be a low-risk signing with a potentially high reward while also helping fill some voids.
