The Edmonton Oilers have signed power forward Jujhar Khaira to a two-year contract that will carry a $1.2MM cap hit. The 24-year old was a restricted free agent who was issued a qualifying offer by the Oilers last week. The team has also signed free agent forward Tomas Jurco to a one-year deal worth $750K.
Khaira, 24, was unable to take hold of the opportunity that presented itself last season on the Oilers, and recorded just three goals and 18 points in 60 games. On a team starved for production from the wing, the 6’4″ power forward was unable to give them any sort of offensive game and instead was limited to playing a physical, bottom-six role. There is still upside in the third-round pick, but Khaira will need to show he can be more than a fourth-line option this season under new head coach Dave Tippett or his opportunity at the NHL level may start to disappear.
If he wants to learn, Jurco knows all about opportunity disappearing. The 26-year old forward was selected 35th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2011 and for a time looked like a future staple in the NHL lineup. He was even traded for a third-round pick at the 2017 deadline because the Chicago Blackhawks believed he could deliver on his offensive potential. He didn’t, and before long Jurco would be accepting an AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers just to stay in North America. After an outstanding playoff run with the Checkers though, the Oilers will give him another chance on an NHL contract in training camp to make an impact at the highest level.
Fire Holland.