Ken Holland’s Edmonton Oilers finished second in the Pacific Division in 2019-20, and the goal for this coming season is finishing inside the top three in the division. Edmonton needs to be in Stanley Cup contention annually and that means making the postseason every time.
Put another way, as Darcy Regier once said “I think if you miss the playoffs three years in a row, and blow everything up, you’re more likely to miss the playoffs seven years in a row.” The Oilers did seven and then damn near did seven again.
Holland must turn the corner with coach Dave Tippett. That is going to mean making some difficult decisions.
THE ATHLETIC!
I’m proud to be writing for The Athletic, and pleased to be part of a great team with Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis. Here is our recent work.
- New Lowetide: How close is Ryan McLeod to an Oilers roster spot?
- Lowetide: Jay Woodcroft oversees a spike in Oilers prospect development
- Lowetide: The 2020-21 Oilers and value contracts: Career opportunities
- Eric Duhatschek: For one season only, bring on the NHL’s Canada Division
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers’ organizational depth chart: Where does Edmonton stand today?
- Lowetide: Dmitri Samorukov’s KHL impact and what it means to the Oilers
- Lowetide: How many goals will Tyler Ennis score in 2020-21?
- Lowetide: Oilers extend Kris Russell, solve expansion issue
- Lowetide: Can Kyle Turris centre an outscoring No. 3 line in Edmonton?
- Lowetide: Tyson Barrie’s skills and how Oilers coach Dave Tippett will deploy him
- Jonathan Willis: Can Oilers unlock James Neal’s scoring potential at five on five?
- Lowetide: Why is Ilya Konovalov no longer starting in the KHL?
- Lowetide: Oilers Top 20 prospects, post-draft edition.
- Lowetide: Finding Connor McDavid’s optimal linemates among 2020-21 Oilers
- Jonathan Willis: A cautious free agent period boosts an Oilers team still on the upswing
- Lowetide: Oilers bring back Mike Smith for another year.
- Lowetide: Oilers sign Tyson Barrie to a team-friendly deal.
- Lowetide: Oilers sign Kyle Turris, Tyler Ennis in early hours of free agency.
- Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi signing overshadows a strong day for Oilers at draft
- Lowetide: Oilers draft Dylan Holloway on Day 1, with trades possible Wednesday
JUJHAR KHAIRA’S FUTURE
Did I ever tell you my Billy Ashley story? I used to be in a baseball roto league (extremely competitive, I can’t even describe how cruel and vicious we were to each other, so much fun) and followed all the prospects very closely (one of the few ways to win in the ERL was to get prospects before anyone knew who they were. It was a keeper league). Anyway, Billy Ashley was an OF prospect in the LA Dodger system and he hit a lot of home runs in the Pacific Coast League (this was maybe 1994). I remember well doing the Bill James MBL Equivalency to let the air out of his offense in order to project him into the National League of 1995. I did not factor in ballpark effects.
At the draft (we bid on players, didn’t draft them) I got into a war with another owner and ended up spending $28 on Ashley (which should get you a veteran outfielder with an excellent power/speed number if you’re rational).
Ashley killed me. He struck out all the time, he hit nothing but air and O by the way he was AWFUL in the outfield too. His hit totals were exceeded by his strikeout totals every season he played. Ashley hit .221, .243, .333 (6 ABs), .237, .200, and finally .244 in his last year with the Dodgers who liked him only a little more than me and his Mom.
I remember he hit two homers at Wrigley one day in 1995. It was an NBC Game of the Week, I’d worked from 4am to 11am and was in bed watching it, but mostly sleeping. I still remember the satisfaction of sleeping while hearing Ashley ripping two homers, filled with false superiority about how I had fooled my fellow Edmonton Roto League owners by drafting him for $28 and keeping him like a fool. The whole world to dream about and I’m feeling like a king over two homers from a man with a hitch in his giddyup.
Ashley would play parts of eight seasons before the Dodgers moved on.
Khaira has been in Edmonton five seasons. His offense and goal differentials at five on five are an issue.
Khaira scoring and goal differential
As you can see, Khaira’s offense at five on five is strictly fourth-line. His 0.80 points per 60 ranks No. 356 among 372 regulars in 2019-20. In 2018-19, his 1.38 points per 60 at five on five ranked No. 255, and that’s third line, but the goal differential was catastrophic. This past season, his 30.6 percent goal differential ranks No. 359 out of 372 regular forwards.
Khaira is an excellent penalty killer. In two of the last three seasons, he has delivered a handsome GA and SA 60.
To give you a good idea about how good Khaira was in 2019-20, his 42.49 SA/60 on the penalty kill ranked No. 28 in the NHL among regular penalty killers and his 2.39 GA/60 ranked No. 3 among regular penalty killers. Khaira is damn good at the PK and that has exceptional value.
I’m a Khaira fan. If he can post 1.38 points per 60, deliver on the PK and play on a line that finishes close to 50 percent at five on five goal differential, we’ll be talking about him in this league when he’s 30. If he can’t, we’ll be talking about Gaetan Haas or Alan Quine or Ryan McLeod.
Those five on five numbers posted by Khaira must be improved if Ken Holland and Dave Tippett are going to make this team a perennial contender.
He was only a UFA because he was an unqualified RFA – given his age, years of service and ELC signing age, he’s still got 3 more years of RFA status. He will indeed be an RFA next year with a super low qualifying offer (but arb eligible.)
I’m a bit amazed Holland got Kahun for under $1M.
I’m not actually particularly surprised he signed with the Oilers, but I thought it would be for $1.5M-$2M.
Really impressive work. And they own his rights too. Man.
I agree. I thought he’d come in somewhere near $2M. The market is something else this year. Should be the same next year as well.
NEW for The Athletic: Oilers pick up an intriguing addition in free agent Dominik Kahun
https://theathletic.com/2174164/2020/11/02/lowetide-oilers-pick-up-an-intriguing-addition-in-free-agent-dominik-kahun/
Not sure if it has been mentioned but while the contract is for one year the Oilers will still hold Kahun’s rights as a RFA if things work out.
Since he was signed as a UFA I don’t see how he could revert to being an RFA next year.
Just copying & pasting from an article but I believe this is correct.
Notably, while they added him on the open market, Edmonton will be able to retain Kahun’s rights as a restricted free agent next offseason if they so desire although he will be arbitration-eligible once again. The minimum age for outright UFA eligibility is 27 and Kahun won’t be able to get there or have the required seven years of experience to become unrestricted in 2021.
Capfriendly has the deal up as “unconfirmed contract details” but the RFA part is accurate
Friedman is pretty reliable though.
Georgexs Very Nice work.
Intuitively, I think that the reason for your null hypothesis conforming to the actual data is largely due to the variability of one ice save percentage at 4v5.
Over the past three seasons, SV% correlated stronger with GA/60 (-0.62) compared to FA/60 (0.42) and SA/60 (0.39).
Year-over-year, the correlations between SV% are quite low, -.13, .2 and 0.18 over the past for years (year-over-year).
At 5v5, the year-over-year correlations for on ice SV% are much higher, around 0.6.
This site is so bogged down with ads it has become unreadable, sorry
Huh? I see just one on my screen. Seems a bit hyperbolic to me.
I’m not seeing any ads on mine. Just at the top but not in the posts. What are you using?
I’m running WIN10 on a Surface Pro3 with Chrome with no ad blocker
I’m fine with the advertising along the right hand pane- our host has to put food on the table and I’ve got no problem with that
The comment section was rife with ads yesterday…essentially every fifth post had an ad embedded, some of the comments were cut in two pieces with an ad embedded in the middle
I’m not seeing the ads in the comment section today
This Kahun fella is also younger than the ageless Rafferty. LTFO!
I anticipate Holland is trying but, as we just saw tonight, there are legit NHL players available for a major discount. Chiasson has on-ice value but, with that $2M and the current market, I don’t see any team taking on that contract without an asset being attached to it to sweeten.
Weird you would have a negative spin – who would have thought.
Chicago traded him for value – Matta
Pit traded him for playoff run value – Sheary (and Pit fans were pissed).
Career well over 2 P/60. Doesn’t seem like his scoring rates would define a “cram in to the top 6”. Oh ya, even if he plays 3LW – I’ll take Turris’ offence over McCan.
2.3 P/60 playing with McCann this past year – wonder if Drai or McDavid can help his offence as much as Jared McCann.
When he was traded for Maata, the cognoscenti here slammed Maata who was a straight salary dump by Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh fans were pissed? Link?
Were Chicago fans also pissed…are Buffalo fans crying themselves to sleep?
Not sure why you think he’ll break out playing with Turris instead of McCann since McCann outscored Turris last season.
Holland has been throwing a ton of shit at the wall to try and find a bottom six that doesn’t get their asses handed to them every night and Kahun is just the latest boat on the sea of Granlunds.
At his price point he’s a nice pick up but hardly a game breaker.
If Kahun is playing in your top six you’ve got a problem.
Its a pity you get stuck on these things and keep digging HH. You are not being rational and sound a little silly. You do bring things to the site until you start going down and road like this and can’t find the brakes,
Wonder if a 3 for 1 trade might be coming? If not, you really can’t argue with the forward depth Holland has amassed.
Kahun on a 1 year deal AND a time stamp…what an afternoon!
– Pool, Turris and Kahun are much better “bets” than Haas, Nygard, Russell, Gagner
– Kahun ought to be much better than Reider right?
– Ennis, Archibald were good bets from last year
– If another winger emerges and Kailer can stick on a top line when he’s not shooting 25%, the F units looking good
– Hoffman would have been awful, so glad we aren’t blowing it up for that
– I liked being able to post at the bottom of the page, after I’ve read everyting: scrolling back up is a small pain (but a first world problem, or maybe I just didn’t see where I could). Really like though how there are little refinements every day I log in: keep it up Ryan!
Thanks! It is a feature that I can’t unfortunately fix and it does take getting used to. It seems to be common on websites like the Athletic and others.
However, you can just click the comment bubble in the lower right hand corner which takes you right back up to the comment box without needing to manually scroll. You can also sort comments either from oldest to newest now. (Right under comment box)
Instead of scrolling up, just press the little comment icon. It does all the scrolling for you lol (Idk if it shows up on that standard version of this site)
I was calling for Kahun earlier in the off-season and I’m over the moon.
Holland gets an A+ for reworking the forward depth.
IF the Oilers could move Chiasson for picks or a failed prospect that can be buried in the AHL. They could start the season with a much improved forward group and this defense. If Klefbom can play, if not Russell slots in as 3LD and Jines moves up.
Nurse-Bear
Klefbom- Barrie
Jones-Larsson
Russell
My guess is right around there and Holland refused to budge. From his agent, the Oilers and the Sabres had the most interest.
My guess is he had plenty of choices in that price range and went with the opportunity – just my speculating though.
Leon promised if he signs here, he will keep buying lunch for his buddy when they go out,
His career P/60 is apx 2.2.
Doing that with increased top 6 icetime is a different story but linemates will be better.
There is every chance he can succeed in the top 6 given his NHL career has had top 6 scoring rates.
His linemates are not likely to be better unless he is crammed into a top six spot where his track record says he doesn’t belong.
This is a player now on his 4th organization in two years and there was little interest in keeping him. Chicago let him walk and signed the other Dominik…you know…that Kubalik guy who scored 30 goals.
While it certainly is a value signing at that number, the flip side of that is no other team was willing to pay more.
It’s a tell.
You don’t know that. Barrie was reportedly offered more elsewhere and chose Edmonton so….it’s not a tell.
Surprise, surprise, the Oilers make a great signing and Troll is tripping over himself to try and shit on everyone’s cornflakes.
Beyond tedious
How serious can you take p/60 when he ranks ahead of Ovechkin?
Edit: and Barkov, Nuge, Kuznetsov, Svechnikov, Matthews, Marner, Scheifele and more.
Probably right and, of note, as of right now, at least two of the players that made the opening night roster last year will be on the outside – P. Russell and one of Haas, Nygard or Khaira. Of note, as well, there are players that started in the top 6 that will start in the bottom 6 (i.e. Neal) and the 3rd line is massively improved (or should be).
Wow – crazy better forward group.
With all that said, even noting the competition you mention, I wouldn’t be surprised if a forward was moved out.
What a great weekend.
Ryan, thank you for the upgrades to the site. And Ken Holland, nice work. Getting an LT approved addition at under $1M was very impressive.
$975……. my goodness – Ken Holland, what a deal.
I wonder what the rumoured offer earlier in FA was that he turned down.
I am not one to normally gloat, but last night I called it….
Next up Chiasson trade
If you’re going to sign for cheap as a winger, you might as well sign with the team with the best C depth in the league.
What’s interesting is that he played his first NHL season in Chicago. They’re doing a pretty good job scouting and recruiting from Europe these days.
=> Kahun
=> Kubalik
=> Pius Suter
Kahun had 2.31 pts/60 at 5v5 (!) playing for Pittsburgh this year.
He was at 1.9 pts/60 while playing for Chicago.
That’s some really nice even strength offense for under a million bucks on the cap.
Puck IQ had him on the bottom left quadrant against Elites, but that’s still a great contract.
He didn’t kill penalties, but he averaged a minute per game on the PP.
Too early to say this is the best value contract in the league?
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
·
37s
Kahun deal in EDM will be one-year, $975K
The first ever Draisaitl discount?
That is unbelievable value. WOW.
love having the time stamp back. Ryan, you were supposed to take the day off. lol
Great signing by Kenny to get Kahun this year! I’m sure Leon played a big part in getting his buddy on board…
The age-old saying, ‘its not what you know, but who you know’, I’m sure at work here!!
This will slot everyone much better and hopefully make the top 2 lines hum!
Leon will still be buying lunch for his buddy when they go out.
And in-depth look at Kahun.
https://www.pensburgh.com/2019/6/15/18680613/player-profile-dominik-kahun-pittsburgh-penguins-trade-chicago-blackhawks-olli-maatta
Third line LW?
That’s what I see. Potential to move up if required but you can say that about most third line players.
Considering the cap restraints etc. I consider that a good move depending on what the number comes in at.
Earlier in the thread I noted that there were only 8 top 9 players signed at this time with about 6 fourth liners & PB guys when there are only 5 spots for those positions.
This gives Tippett a couple of 3rd line guys he can rotate in and out of the top six to see if he can find a mix that holds for a few games.
Not perfect by any means but the money meant it was never going to be perfect this off season. Its up to McDavid or Draisaitl to make up the difference.
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
·
37s
Kahun deal in EDM will be one-year, $975K
Great signing. I’d allotted $1.95M on CapFriendly.
Clearly I need to learn to grind better.
Considering that we had two fourth lines last year, another third liner is a welcome addition.
Thanks Ryan for the addition of the time stamp.
That was an interesting one. I was surprised at how important it was to so many people here. I would say that while I do prefer the time stamp, the other way was serviceable to me.
Roster spots at the bottom of the lineup are getting thin. Assuming a healthy forward group coming out of camp, this pushes one of Nygard, Haas or Khaira to the AHL (in addition to Benson).
I anticipate that Holland will be moving a right winger out shortly – or at least trying to.
Basically what he did last off season. Competition for spots and let TC and the coaching staff sort out the winners & losers.
Given the cap situation it is hard not to like it as long as Darryl is willing to sign the cheques.
Kahun on a one-year deal, announced tomorrow. Giddyup!
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
·
22m
Dominik Kahun to EDM (as initially reported here) should be finalized tomorrow
The Germans are coming! The Germans are coming!
First, note the time stamp there everyone instead of x minutes ago.
With Pk’ers, is there any evidence that there’s repeatability of the top end performances?
I’d imagine there’s a tier
For example, Riley Sheahan played 495 minutes over the past three seasons averaging 5.45 GA/60.
That’s a pretty decent result. I’d imagine not having Sheahan on the top PK unit will be noticeable.
Awesome! Like having time of post shown..
what a great addition, if true, …might keep the nuge on Mcd’s line …Kenny keeps on trucking!…very much closer to your balance photo LT
Oilers sign Kahun to a one year deal.
Wow!
I hope I’m the first one to make a “Holland lands the Big Kahun-a” joke. Appears to be legit as per German hockey writer and Kahun’s agent on twitter. Great signing!
So far just being reported out of Germany.
Assuming true, then need to move out a forward, don’t they? Maybe someone is willing to take Chiasson?
How much?
Where did you see this?
It started with the Eishockey News editor tweeting it.
https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/report-former-sabres-winger-dominik-kahun-to-sign-with-edmonton/article_26f32708-1c99-11eb-853e-a78f7cff2700.html
Thank you.
Unconfirmed, looks promising though.
They haven’t announced it because they don’t have cap space. As I mentioned last night they need to move someone out, such as Chiasson for prospects or picks. Kenny must still be grinding to get er done.
I am stoked!
They don’t need cap space to make it official or announce it. They can go over the cap by 10% in the off-season. Lots of teams are over the cap right now.
The correlation at the team level is surprisingly bad. It makes sense to a degree. Teams with good PKs get complacent and focus on other areas to improve. Also teams that struggle on the PK make changes as the Oilers have done with coaches and personnel to improve their results.
I am wondering if you were to look at the top five and bottom five teams over the last year what would jump out?
The bottom five would presumably be teams in rebuild mode for most of that time. Top five teams would likely be teams like Boston, Tampa, St Louis… contenders.
What I am wondering is if there are any surprises?
I wonder if they just use 7D and rotate 97/29 on 4C from time to time. At 5 on 5 JJ is a liability. Im a fan too but his results aint great.
NEW for The Athletic: Will massive free-agent pool give Oilers a late offseason lift? Is Ken Holland contemplating something bold? https://theathletic.com/2173272/2020/11/01/oilers-offseason-free-agent-pool/
Imo, Haas should be the clear favourite for 4th line center. PK is the only thing Khaira is good at. He’s a complete liability everywhere else.
LT…when you quoted Darcy Regier, I thought why the hell would you quote him. We all hated that guy. I had Robin Regehr on my mind. Maybe Hemsky can quote him.
Khaira I believe is down to his final days, so to speak, as he needs to pick up his game in at least 1 more area. I have Khaira images in my brain of that game he had when he scored a couple of beauties by hard forechecking. Where is that guy?…I know, life wears down a person…
Soon to be in the AHL if he’s not willing to get his hands dirty.
If JJ’s penalty killing skills regress and his offence doesn’t improve he may not get another one way NHL contract. That would be a shame as I like the player and hope the best for him. He has that tantalizing skill set of size and physicality..
I wonder how many games we make it before we start looking for goalering help
If, as many are predicting, we’re looking at a 48 game schedule, there will be precious little time to adjust to bad goaltending.
The org does now have a 3rd goalie with NHL ability who can back-up Koskinen is Smith falls further off that cliff. Forsberg was a great bet for 3G.
.897 with a 3.35 GAA in 3 games in the NHL last season and only .905 and 2.95 GAA in Charlotte doesn’t strike me as being NHL ability.
Alex Nedeljkovic, the Checkers other goalie had a .906 and 2.49 GAA.
He certainly might be able to hold on in a pinch but I would be very wary about counting on him if Mike Smith goes south.
And here is Lindewall’s first since being promoted to pro. Easy goal but he put himself in the scoring area.
Just being in Allsvenskan is a great arrow.
https://twitter.com/edmontonoilers/status/1322970120382132225?s=21
Lavoie’s goal today. Nice rip home on a rebound. He’s a shooter.
https://twitter.com/edmontonoilers/status/1322969186109288448?s=21
When J.J is physical, drives the net and works the corners every team in the league would have a place for him on their roster on what he’s being paid. Unfortunately we only see it 10 games a year and more importantly he disappeared in the play-ins like a fart in the wind.
Smith’s 4v5 SV% was .916 good for 3rd among goalies who played at least 50min 4v5.
Koskinen’s 4v5 SV% was .899 good for 8th among goalies who played at least 50min 4v5.
EDM’s GA/60 was structure driven, not player driven.
They played the same pressure system SJS did that funnels the puck to places the goalies expect a shot from so they are “pre-ready” for it.
SJS had the 31st 5v5 SV% and the 2nd 4v5 SV%
EDM had the 25th 5v5 SV% and the 1st 4v5 SV%
It’s structure, not players.
Sheahan and Archibald had the worst GA/60 4v5 on the Oilers because they were the first unit who saw the best 5v4 who were often rested, so it’s expected.
Smith isn’t a 4v5 whisperer, neither is JJ.
It’s coaching.
And Khaira doesn’t even move the needle at 5v5,he actually removes the needle completely.
Another point that lends itself to coaching being the game changer on PK is that the year prior EDM had an historically bad PK then top two in the league the following season with mostly the same player personnel.
There is still a lot of discussion about how to set the lines should the team ever get back on the ice.
Just my opinion but that is mostly because we don’t have a balanced roster. In fact that may be the best definition of a balanced roster.
Every piece in its proper place.
There is still some youth on this team that leads to unknowns going forward but an optimist’s view might go something like this.
Open spot – McDavid – Kassian
Because McDavid is so good this is a top 12 first line in the league.
Nuge – Draisaitl – Yamomoto
Small sample size but in that sample the best 2nd line in the league.
Ennis – Turris – Puljujarvi
A lot of redemption stories on that line but on paper this should be a playoff capable 3rd line.
Chiasson – Khaira – Archibald – Nygard – Neal – Haas
Surely to god Tippett can patch a fourth line together somehow out of all these parts while adding some PK acumen to the group.
The defence is similarly one player short of working if Klef is out for the season.
With him you have
Klefbom – Barrie
Nurse – Bear
Jones – Larrson
That is a top 12 defence in the league imo. Maybe better.
Take out Klefbom and insert Russell and the pieces don’t fit together nearly as well. Is Lagesson ready?
I’ll leave the goal tending to everybody’s personal thoughts. 😉
If the Kahun signing turns out to be true I am going to claim that this was the post that convinced Holland to get back on the phone. 😉
I see Khaira and Chiasson as the 2 most vulnerable players on the roster.
Both are 6’4″ and GMs will always look to add NHLers with size in their bottom 6. With both players perhaps being viewed as specialists, they might bring back picks or prospects and clear a bit of cap for Holland to bring in a player like Kahun, Haula or Granlund.
Other than Melker Karlsson (who I would want to be brought in if 2 RW’s, like Archibald & AC were moved) no other UFA appeals to me.
The Oil need wingers who know how to support the Dzone. I have zero interest in seeing any of Hoffman, Duclair or AA on the roster.
Again, what makes you think Chiasson is tradeable at 2.1 million? Every team in the league is trying to unload this type of overpaid 4th liner, yet you suggest the Oilers could get a draft pick for him?
Khaira is probably movable. Some GM looking for size and toughness will be willing to absorb the 1.2 million in cap hit. Especially when most of it can be buried in the minors.
Chiasson however, is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
Because he is useful, NJ has cap space, but do do not have enough actual NHL players to fill their NHL roster. And 1 year at $2.1 M isn’t a cumbersome contract for such teams. 2 different and very experienced NHL coaches have thought enough of him over the past 2 seasons to put him on the #1PP, and give him some 1st line minutes. Plus his fancies are fairly decent where ever he has been deployed.
He is an extremely useful player, they don’t grow on trees and he is an actual tree.
I am not getting why this is seen as such a great leap of logic…..
https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/754da470ce9bafccdc9c33cb70741d8e?s=64&d=blank&r=g €√¥£€^$
Reply to who
14 hours ago
C’mon man, well then let me count the reasons why….
1. He is a Cup champion
2. Is an extremely effective PP producer
3 Can PK
4. Is a low-maintenance reliable vet
5. Has a plus shot and can beat NHL goalies cleanly (this is not a common skill))
16. Is a big body, and would easily be the biggest skater on the team.
23. He’s got one year left
37. Is a bonafide NHL player.
41. NJ has only 2 older veteran forwards
45. They have only 1 NHL right shot Right Winger,
50. With a few more spots to fill, if Boston is interested, why the Hell wouldn’t the talent-challenged Devils?
Last edited 14 hours ago by €√¥£€^$
We are looking for the balance photo. While I agree that it would be nice if Khaira produced more offence at 5 on 5 what he brings to the PK has value. His wingspan and partnership with Nuge on the PK have value. Keeping goals against down is equally as valuable as scoring goals. Given that we now appear to have three lines that can score a value contract defensive forward helps the team balance. We will never roll 4 lines equally time wise as to do so would be a waste of McDavid and Draisaitl lines and what they produce. Given that Turris will centre a third line that should produce closer to even gf/ga we are no longer dependant on a fourth line. It will be fun to watch how it all plays out!
JJK, Chiasson, Kassian, Maroon, Neal and Henderiks are probably more suited for play-off hockey. When we consistently qualify for the post season we will want this type of player in the multiple spots in the line up.
Agreed, except slotted appropriately throughout the lineup instead of bottom-six types being asked to do too much by playing up the lineup beyond their depth.
When Khaira is playing well and with confidence, he is a solid transitioner of the puck by skate, in my opinion – he can carry the puck out of the defensive zone and through the neutral zone with power and authority. Unfortunately he is not consistantly that player or, at least, he hasn’t been that player to this point in his career.
Last year things were even worse for Khaira as he made mistakes that were large and cost goals – there were a few bad line changes leading to goals against and there were a few turnovers in the defensive zone trying to be that puck transporter that led to goals against.
His PK does have value and he was better at 5 on 5 (by my eye) in the 2nd half of the season and did have success with Neal and Chiasson on his flanks. They were good in the play-in as well.
Sheahan is not on the roster and Haas has yet to prove PK ability at the NHL level.
Many want to fire Khaira in to the sun but he is in my opening night lineup and I’m willing to him, yet another, fresh start. He’s running out of those for sure.
KHL goalie of the month, Eddie Pasquale does NOT give up his net after letting in two goals last game and got another 1-goal win today – no Konovalov – sigh.
Lavoie did have a goal and an assist and was plus 2 in a 3-2 OTL.
Bouchard was held off the scoresheet but led the team in ice with 19:32 and was plus 1 in a 4-1 in.
Source:
https://edmontonsun.com/2013/04/29/edmonton-oilers-gm-craig-mactavish-identifies-scoring-depth-as-an-issue-facing-the-team
Le sigh. Same as it ever was.
It’s quite possible but he also could improve with a different mix vs. Sheahan-Archibald last year.
His 5v5 results were semi-passable prior to this 19-20 (fine scoring, goal differential not much worse than his bottom 6 teammates).
Maybe a different mix leads to improved results, or he holds that 4C role with Neal and Chiasson flanking him.
The range of outcomes is wide for Khaira though.
He’s always been a bit of a late bloomer.
At this point, though, he’s on the verge of the bubble. The zenith, if you will. I hope he puts it all together and blossoms this year, either to pump his trade value or to secure a meaningful depth role on the team going forward.
Khaira might be on the verge of becoming a ‘situational’ line up player. When Tippett wants speed he’s out. When it looks like it might get rough he’s in.
That makes for a precarious hold on a roster in a contract year.
I agree. We need JJ for his truculence. A team needs a few of these players for team toughness and gang mentality to ward off certain teams