I find it quite interesting that the Edmonton Oilers have sat Jujhar Khaira for an entire week while playing Sam Gagner and Patrick Russell instead. My impression of his importance to the team was that he was an integral part of their penalty-killing unit but it seems that’s not the case. I mean, if you’ve been watching the games you might find that he’s looked disengaged for the most part, save for five days in November. For Oilers fans, I believe we’ve conditioned ourselves to Khaira’s career of peaks and valleys in hopes that he might actually break out of it and choose one or another ignoring the fact that maybe he’s not what we’ve hoped he is or could be.
He’s 196 games into his career and I’m not seeing any signs that he’ll be anything more than a 4th line player. In 42 appearances this year he has six goals and two assists and is -35… He’s 25-years-old and the kids on the farm are passing him by.
Don’t get me wrong. I really like Jujhar. He is smart, plays an honest brand of hockey, he hits, fights, he’s got some slick hands and a really good shot when he uses it. He plays the game the right way and he sticks up for his teammates. If the Oilers decided to keep him around, that would make sense to me. Heavy players are valued come playoff time and I know he has suitors across the league who’d claim him in an instant if he hit the waiver wire and the Oilers don’t have anybody like him in their system under an NHL contract who could come in and replace him seamlessly.
So, since we’re coming up on the Oilers bye week, I figured I’d get in touch with some of my sources to see what’s going on and the consensus is that Edmonton IS sitting on a trade right now and the belief is that it’ll be one of Jujhar Khaira or Sam Gagner getting moved after the all-star break which is next weekend.
My feeling is that Ken Holland will be trying to open up some contract space with these deals. That could mean dollars (reducing their cap hit) or the number of contracts under the 50-man limit.
We know that Edmonton could move Khaira tomorrow for a small/skilled bottom-six forward tomorrow because we’ve been told so. As for Gagner, he’s making too much money to be a part-time player for the Oilers.
There has to be the Tyler Benson consideration as well. He’s lighting up the AHL again this year and he’ll be called up after the bye-week/all-star break. Therefore, there must be a roster spot available for him in order to do so.
Could all of this coincide with the Oilers re-signing Caleb Jones to a new two-year deal yesterday? It might. Think about it. It’s out there that the Anaheim Ducks will take on salary if the team sending the contract to them will also include a prospect. If the Oilers are looking to move Gagner, wouldn’t it make sense to throw in a guy like William Lagesson if they’re not intending to use the player? Especially with the impending return of Matthew Benning?
Another player I’m convinced will move is left-shot defender Kris Russell but it could cost the Oilers a bit more since he’s still got another year after this one remaining on his contract at $4M per season. I don’t know if they’ll be able to move the cap hit, to be frank. It all really depends on what can be done with Gagner and/or Khaira, in my opinion? If those players can be traded for picks or prospects or a player with a lower cap-hit, that could make things more flexible for a Russell trade. Meaning, one option is that they could take on a player with a higher cap-hit but shorter contract in exchange for the Caroline Cowboy.
Personally, I don’t feel that the club would feel the absence of Khaira or Gagner as much as they might Russell in the playoffs. Say what you will about the Southern Alberta Starfish, but he brings it and puts it all on the line for his team and in the post-season, he brings massive value that way and the gentlemen in the Oilers locker room think very highly of that skill.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
