Tucson, AZ — The Utah Hockey Club announced Wednesday that forward Kailer Yamamoto and goaltender Matthew Villalta have been assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners, Utah’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
The assignments come following the conclusion of Utah’s regular season on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. Yamamoto and Villalta rejoin the Roadrunners just in time for Tucson’s final push toward the Calder Cup Playoffs, with the last two regular season games set for Friday and Saturday against the Colorado Eagles at Tucson Arena.
Kailer Yamamoto
Yamamoto returns to the Roadrunners after appearing in 12 NHL games this season with Utah, tallying two goals and one assist. In the AHL, the 26-year-old has been an offensive force with 53 points (19g, 34a) in 52 games with Tucson. He leads the Roadrunners in points, assists, and multi-point performances (14). He also paces the team in multi-assist outings (five) and shares the lead in multi-goal games (three).
A consistent producer, Yamamoto ranks second among Roadrunners in power-play points (15) and plus-minus (+14), while sitting fourth in total goals and game-winners (three). He also holds the team’s longest point streak of the season—twice reaching the scoresheet in eight consecutive games.
The Spokane, Washington native signed a professional tryout with Utah on Sept. 11 and earned a one-year, two-way NHL contract on Oct. 6. He’s skated in 315 career NHL games, registering 137 points (60g, 77a) and a +19 rating. Yamamoto spent last season with the Seattle Kraken, notching 16 points (8g, 8a) in 59 games, and played five seasons with the Edmonton Oilers after being drafted 22nd overall in 2017.
This season marks Yamamoto’s first AHL stint since 2019-20 with Bakersfield. In 102 career AHL games, he has produced 87 points (37g, 50a).
Matthew Villalta
Villalta heads back to Tucson after earning his second NHL call-up—and first with Utah—on Mar. 28. The 25-year-old made the most of his opportunity, earning his first NHL win in his debut start with 28 saves in Utah’s 6-3 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday.
Villalta has anchored the crease for the Roadrunners this season, going 17-21-3 with a 3.01 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 41 appearances. He ranks among AHL goaltending leaders in minutes played (2,413:57, third), shots faced (1,288, fourth), and games played (sixth).
Just before being recalled, the Kingston, Ontario native earned his career-best fourth shutout of the season on Mar. 26, stopping all 24 shots in a 3-0 win over Ontario. He’s just one shutout shy of the franchise single-season record held by Adin Hill (five in 2017-18), and his seven career shutouts as a Roadrunner rank second in team history.
Villalta sits at 48 career AHL wins with Tucson—just six shy of tying Ivan Prosvetov (54) for second all-time. In total, the 6-foot-4 netminder has compiled a 106-70-17 record, 2.90 GAA, .905 SV%, and nine shutouts over 200 AHL games.
Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (72nd overall) in 2017, Villalta joined the Arizona Coyotes organization as a free agent on July 2, 2023. Last season, he rewrote the Roadrunners record book with 31 wins, 51 appearances, and 1,328 saves en route to his first career AHL All-Star nod. He made his NHL debut with Arizona last season on Feb. 16, 2024 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and has now appeared in three NHL games with a 1-1-0 record, 3.64 GAA and .867 SV%.
UP NEXT
The return of Yamamoto and Villalta provides a key boost for Tucson as they host the division-leading Colorado Eagles in a pivotal two-game series to clinch a playoff spot. Game one is set for 7 p.m. PT. Fans can catch the action live on AHLTV on FloHockey and purchase tickets using the provided link here.
