This season’s Battle of Alberta has had everything: Goals, speed, drama, a goalie fight and board-shaking physicality. It’s also featured a breakout talent – Kailer Yamamoto.



At 5-foot-8 and 153 pounds, there’s been concerns over the years that Yamamoto’s stature would hinder him at the NHL level. Size is why this 99-point scorer in the WHL was available at No. 22 in 2017. Three mediocre NHL stints only compounded these concerns.



Now, Yamamoto has 10 points in 11 games since his late-December recall – including five in three games in arguably hockey’s most physical rivalry. Sure, he’s playing with the NHL’s leading scorer Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but he’s doing the dirty work and making high-level skill plays.



It’s exemplified in Edmonton’s opening goal in Round 4, just 29 seconds in. Yamamoto started that sequence by keeping the cycle alive. As Edmonton lost possession, he...