Player Discussion Jujhar Khaira

[MettleMcOiler]

@Drivesaitl

I respectfully disagree that Khaira has continued to stay in the lineup because of PR publicity based on ethnicity.

I do not believe " it is what it is".

If he is there, it is because of his own merit and if he is better then the players behind him to play. The he will play.


I think he is treated exactly the same as everyone else, if he can not hold his own, he would not be in the line up, in the Ahl, or/and traded.

I judge his strengths and shortcomings as a player, as I think most people do. And have never thought that his continued appearance in the lineup was due to his ethnic background to gain more viewers.

I think it is a disservice to the player and his fans to give him special treatment. NHL is the best league in the world, being put onto an NHL team just to get more viewers based on your ethnicity and not your ability is a very serious slap in the face imho.

 

[Drivesaitl]

@Drivesaitl

I respectfully disagree that Khaira has continued to stay in the lineup because of PR publicity based ethnicity.

I do not believe " it is what it is".

If he is there, it is because of his own merit and if he is better then the players behind him to play. The he will play.


I think he is treated exactly the same as everyone else, if he can not hold his own, he would not be in the line up, in the Ahl, or/and traded.

I judge his strengths and shortcomings as a player, as I think most people do. And have never thought that his continued appearance in the lineup was due to his ethnic background to gain more viewers.

I think it is a disservice to the player and his fans to give him special treatment. NHL is the best league in the world, being put onto an NHL team just to get more viewers based on your ethnicity and not your ability is very serious slap in the face imho.

Again I didn't state that is the reason khaira is in the lineup. In retrospect the post was ambiguous, as multiple posters point out, and so I do apologize on behalf of any misunderstanding.

Again I don't give the Oilers any credit for ploy in any of this, but its somewhat interesting in that a really bad org in desperate need of positive PR is sure happy to get any positive PR from Khaira's ethnic community.

I don't necessarily agree Khaira is treated the same as anybody else. If he was Russian I wonder if he would be discarded and back in the KHL by now.

But being that this has gone sideways its my wish that this discussion not continue in this thread. If people wish to pursue, or ask a question they can PM me.

 

[Messrules11]

Personally I could care less where any player is from or what their ethnicity is. Fact is when a guy scores 3 goals or 0 goals and their contract is up its time to let them go. If we can’t find two guys that can contribute more than 3 goals for an entire season then there’s a serious problem.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Again I didn't state that is the reason khaira is in the lineup. In retrospect the post was ambiguous, as multiple posters point out, and so I do apologize on behalf of any misunderstanding.

Again I don't give the Oilers any credit for ploy in any of this, but its somewhat interesting in that a really bad org in desperate need of positive PR is sure happy to get any positive PR from Khaira's ethnic community.

I don't necessarily agree Khaira is treated the same as anybody else. If he was Russian I wonder if he would be discarded and back in the KHL by now.

But being that this has gone sideways its my wish that this discussion not continue in this thread. If people wish to pursue, or ask a question they can PM me.

And I apologize if I took it way out of context and I think I understand what you are trying to point out. Though, definitely a touchy subject.

As far as PR, I would think any good PR from any organization that has been rocked with failure as ours might seem excessive but I think it should be looked on a more positive light then how you currently perceive it.

If the oilers were more on the winning end of things, I don't this subject would come up but doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And it is important to be able to understand different perspectives in order to come to a resolution that people can agree on.

I just wanted to respond with this openly, that I never thought your posts had any other motive other than to point out a detail within PR circle around Khaira. And is just as valid if he was Russian though maybe not as controversial.

But with that, I'll respect your request. If I have anything more to say about the subject, I'll pm you.

 

[Mr Positive]

I like Khaira's game. He is very cost controlled and young enough to improve. I get that we need standards but in some cases imo you give a little leash.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

He was very good last year.

No idea what happened to him this year.

 

[bucks_oil]

This is what I stated;

"I'm not meaning to start anything with this, its just what it is, that the Oilers get a lot of positive PR from a community of new viewers, and the NHL, for having Khaira as a player in the lineup. But the player needs to be more than just a pr ploy to get more viewers."

Pay attention first to the bolded preamble. Do you think I state that preamble for no reason?

Next, its amply clear that "Its just what it is" (the actual quotation) modifies "the Oilers get a lot of positive PR from a community of new viewers, and the NHL, for having Khaira as a player in the lineup" That is fact, I linked an article as illustration.

The second sentence is supposition, merely suggesting that the player needs to be more than window dressing. I don't actually think its a plot, I don't even give the Oilers enough credit for that.

Its plausible however Khaira elevates his perception of worth based on the ethnic support he duly receives. Its possible he may think he is better than he is, due to the kudos he gets from his community, and that he does not need to get better. Again the latter is supposition but Khaira, being the only current player of his ethnicity, in the NHL, is treated like a star in some circles. I'd hope he doesn't pay that much attention.

Of course he gets selective and inordinate attention and praise;

Extra special for Hockey Night In Canada Punjabi to call Jujhar Khaira goal - Sportsnet.ca

This article encapsulates some of the pressure and focus on Khaira;

Oilers' Jujhar Khaira carries pride of South Asian community

He're a now inactive link calling Khaira a "hockey star"


Hockey Star Jujhar Khaira Becomes the Third Punjabi-Canadian ...


newcanadianmedia.ca/.../32041-hockey-star-jujhar-khaira-becomes-the-third-punjabi-ca...
Dec 4, 2015 - Surrey native Jujhar Khaira is in the history books as the third Punjabi player to ever suit up in the NHL. Khaira follows in the footsteps of Robin ...

This is perhaps another copy of the "Khaira a "hockey star" byline article;

Hockey Star Jujhar Khaira Becomes The Third Punjabi-Canadian Player In The NHL | Link Newspaper

The Oilers org itself even uses Khaira as their "hockey ambassador" to "grow the game"

"Khaira, the face of hockey for a billion people, hero status;"

Khaira opening doors for a billion Indians - National Teams of Ice Hockey

I do hope this is not too much of a distraction for Khaira to elevate his game but I wonder if it is. Its interesting in anycase he is referred to as a star, and a hero, at all.

Look... I don't think there was really much wrong with your post, itself. I said "slightly offside". I agree it is accurate that the oilers receive a benefit from positive PR.

My point is that you shouldn't be so quick to jump down KYams for his interpretation of what you wrote. Qualified or not, the phrasing "it is what it is.... a ploy" would imply to some readers that Khaira isn't there on merit alone. They may take exception to that and thus my response was more in support of KYams (in my opinion, completely reasonable) interpretation of what you wrote and in turn your response to him... you can't blame him for reaching that conclusion.

As for the suggestion that Khaira isn't there entirely on merit, pffft... I think he is legitimately a borderline NHL talent, still with potential. I'm also a business man, so rationally, I can't dispute it could be a factor... but really, the guy had to be right there, knocking on the door in order for the Oilers to answer it in the first place. And anyway, as you say, the Oilers aren't that smart.

As to his lack of consistent effort... him and hundreds of other young players over the years (including as referenced, Pitlick at that age).

 

[Stoneman89]

I'd really like to see Khaira get a bit of a mean streak. His cross check suspension was a retaliation for a hit on a team mate, which is all well and fine in the intent not the action, but I think his game will improve leaps and bounds if he starts to initiate and impose his size and will on opponents. Far too passive in my mind. But I'm not sure he has it in his personality to do that, and may need some prodding and guidance from some coaching that tries to pull it out of him.

 

[redgrant]

Again I didn't state that is the reason khaira is in the lineup. In retrospect the post was ambiguous, as multiple posters point out, and so I do apologize on behalf of any misunderstanding.

Again I don't give the Oilers any credit for ploy in any of this, but its somewhat interesting in that a really bad org in desperate need of positive PR is sure happy to get any positive PR from Khaira's ethnic community.

I don't necessarily agree Khaira is treated the same as anybody else. If he was Russian I wonder if he would be discarded and back in the KHL by now.

But being that this has gone sideways its my wish that this discussion not continue in this thread. If people wish to pursue, or ask a question they can PM me.

Disagree on the idea that hes given leeway because of his ethnicity.

I've been critical of Kharia if you refer to my last post. He hasn't been very good but hes here on league minimum wage. This team is awful and paying a 4th liner the bare minimum isnt high on the list of major problems.

If he can get back to last season getting 10-15 goals making under $1 million a year you take that and run. Right now doesnt look to be the case. At the end of the day if there is someone that wants him in a package deal to get better you do it.

 

[foshizzle]

3G -12, again playing against the easiest opposition its possible for the Oilers to give Khaira. This happening to a 25 yr old player. The reality is he'll never be good enough, another pipe dream prospect of this team.

I'm not meaning to start anything with this, its just what it is, that the Oilers get a lot of positive PR from a community of new viewers, and the NHL, for having Khaira as a player in the lineup. But the player needs to be more than just a pr ploy to get more viewers.

An Edmonton Oiler Nudges Diversity Forward in the N.H.L.

I’m sorry, but what? That’s a pretty ignorant viewpoint. I’m of East Indian descent and me and my family have been following, playing, coaching, and involved in hockey since 1980. Of my friends and family, many have been fans for a very long time- and they judge a player by the quality of player he is. I don’t know of anyone who watches the game to see JJ get 10 mins of ice time.

You need to get out more and perhaps diversify your circle a bit more, it’s amazing what you can learn from people different than yourself. By the way, did you start watching soccer a lot more when Hargreaves joined the premiership?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I hope toronto takes a nibble on him. They can find out for themselves that he’s a large 4th liner who hits about as much as non alcoholic beer and handles the puck like a grenade.

 

[KMart27]

I’m sorry, but what? That’s a pretty ignorant viewpoint. I’m of East Indian descent and me and my family have been following, playing, coaching, and involved in hockey since 1980. Of my friends and family, many have been fans for a very long time- and they judge a player by the quality of player he is. I don’t know of anyone who watches the game to see JJ get 10 mins of ice time.

You need to get out more and perhaps diversify your circle a bit more, it’s amazing what you can learn from people different than yourself. By the way, did you start watching soccer a lot more when Hargreaves joined the premiership?

It's not outrageous to say that an athlete coming from a background that is fairly uncommon in that sport leads to more attention and interest from others of a similar background. I'm sure there were some Canadians who followed Hargreaves' career. There is no question that Steve Nash's success in basketball increased interest in Canada. Tiger Woods introduced a bunch of new people to golf. Khaira isn't anywhere near the level of Woods and Nash but I have no doubt he has introduced some new people to hockey. That's a positive thing.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

It's not outrageous to say that an athlete coming from a background that is fairly uncommon in that sport leads to more attention and interest from others of a similar background. I'm sure there were some Canadians who followed Hargreaves' career. There is no question that Steve Nash's success in basketball increased interest in Canada. Tiger Woods introduced a bunch of new people to golf. Khaira isn't anywhere near the level of Woods and Nash but I have no doubt he has introduced some new people to hockey. That's a positive thing.

Yao Ming sky rocketed the NBAs popularity in China.

 

[Aerchon]

Kharia was an intriguing prospect practically since day one. All for hockey related reasons. Was rumored to be one of the most asked about prospects we had. Has actually played well for the majority of his time imo.

I thought he had injury issues this year. As bad as he was i would hate to cut bait and run. Our forward depth isn't that great and even this year he had a short stint with Nuge where he looked good.

 

[bucks_oil]

Getting back on topic...

I think Khaira is still an interesting part of our future, but most likely on the 4th line (as C) or 3rd line as W. He's versatile and he doesn't hurt you.

I agree with Drivesaitl that he did lack in passionate play this year... he among many of our guys... and it's true that he should really be seeing himself as an energy guy, so he can't hide behind the fact that others struggled to play with passion... he should be leading by example there.

That said, we're talking about a guy who played his 2nd season of ~full time NHL hockey. He shot 15% last year, while bouncing on every line from 1st to 4th and if he'd even shot 10% this year (he shot 4.7%) he'd have had the same number of points as his rookie year. Otherwise his stats are near identical, though last year he mostly played C when on the 3rd/4th line, whereas this year he seemed to play more wing. I like him more as a C, but he needs to work on his face-offs.

So he didn't take a step forward in year 2... too early to be overly concerned by that.

 

[replacement]

Khaira is basically our Bryan Bickell. If he's engaged, if he knows his role, and if he's supported in that, he makes an impact, and can be a contributor on a winning team.

If he's disengaged, doesn't know his role, doesn't feel confident... He's a fringe NHL'er.

His production is good enough, his size and skill is good enough. Remember when he was on the PK, pulled the puck off the wall and went far side top cheddar against the Canucks? You don't do that kind of thing if you aren't good enough for the NHL.

I hope Khaira finds his role with the next coach.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Khaira is basically our Bryan Bickell. If he's engaged, if he knows his role, and if he's supported in that, he makes an impact, and can be a contributor on a winning team.

If he's disengaged, doesn't know his role, doesn't feel confident... He's a fringe NHL'er.

His production is good enough, his size and skill is good enough. Remember when he was on the PK, pulled the puck off the wall and went far side top cheddar against the Canucks? You don't do that kind of thing if you aren't good enough for the NHL.

I hope Khaira finds his role with the next coach.

Must have “felt disengaged” 50 out of 60 games this year then.

 

[replacement]

Must have “felt disengaged” 50 out of 60 games this year then.

I believe so. Just like much of the team. Are you under the impression what we watched this year was a group of engaged players?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I believe so. Just like much of the team. Are you under the impression what we watched this year was a group of engaged players?

Hmm no this is a JJ thread not a team thread. For a “skilled big boy” he sure passes over hits a lot and doesn’t score very many goals. If he’s not engaged even though he’s a fringe NHL player than that’s just another reason to dump him.

 

[replacement]

Hmm no this is a JJ thread not a team thread. For a “skilled big boy” he sure passes over hits a lot and doesn’t score very many goals. If he’s not engaged even though he’s a fringe NHL player than that’s just another reason to dump him.

If it was just Khaira then ya, maybe you cut bait.

But it's not just Khaira.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Khaira is basically our Bryan Bickell. If he's engaged, if he knows his role, and if he's supported in that, he makes an impact, and can be a contributor on a winning team.

If he's disengaged, doesn't know his role, doesn't feel confident... He's a fringe NHL'er.

His production is good enough, his size and skill is good enough. Remember when he was on the PK, pulled the puck off the wall and went far side top cheddar against the Canucks? You don't do that kind of thing if you aren't good enough for the NHL.

I hope Khaira finds his role with the next coach.

If only he was Bryan Bickell or anywhere close to that. At age 24, younger than Khaira, Bickell put up a 17G 20A 37pt season. He was a dominating physical player who could play up and down the lineup. For 5 seasons you would notice any time Bickell was out on the ice. He was a physical destroyer that would lean on opposition and create openings for others. In a 5 yr stretch he notched 82 G's (regular season/Playoffs combined) and in his career he was OVER .500 Pts/Game playoff production. Unfortunately for him degenerative disease, MS, tapped his energy and inevitably ended his career. The guy was a fighter, consummate pro, but MS doesn't get beat.

We would WANT Khaira to be a Bryan Bickell, or at least a Kassian. He certainly isn't one.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If it was just Khaira then ya, maybe you cut bait.

But it's not just Khaira.

But like I said earlier of the players that performed poorly this year Khaira is a bubble player. The others will get a contract somewhere else, or retire. They've made their big NHL money. Is NHL minimum salary, which is 10times what most people make not motivation enough for Khaira to want to stay in this league? If we had even decent depth he wouldn't have a spot. This is his gravy years, prime of life, it doesn't get easier to establish a usable niche than at prime and playing on a poor depth team where he's expected to make a better contribution. Repeated Healthy scratches from multiple coaches don't even get the message across.

Now I'm sure somebody will respond that the last of the Oilers problems is a minimum salary NHL player struggling, but I don't look at it that way. On teams that get to playoffs every position is useful and not wasted. Khaira's role is quite simple, and easy to comprehend and its an on/off type position. You either do it or you don't and easy enough to spot when its not happening.

I would be more than happy if he even adopted a Carrier role of hitting anything in sight. Even if the production is not there, and he struggles in that, there's no excuse for him having only 120hits in a season as a role player that is supposed to be punishing guys out there. Either he doesn't understand his role, or he's not accepting it. Either of which is bad because its been carefully described to him several times from coaches what his role is.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I believe so. Just like much of the team. Are you under the impression what we watched this year was a group of engaged players?

Theres likely 100's of players toiling in the AHL or in Europe willing to be more engaged than this. We had one just this season in Chiasson as a walk on PTO. Or Gagner who was being parked in AHL.

The Hunger should be there with Khaira. I don't know where it went. As a bubble player in the league with very limited talent Khaira should never be looking up and down the bench, assessing engagement, or intensity, and thinking that allows him to be less. If what you mention even factors with this player the problem is worse.

You can get floaters in a lineup. usually NHL players that bounce around and are just good enough to remain in the league and that have an NHL resume. But they should never be the guys a club is expecting to be prospect energy players. Those guys are expected to have the enthusiasm. To play like they were shot out of a cannon.

I think Khaira's biggest problem is he figures he's better than he is. That he tries a different role, rather than the one he has.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So here we are in a new season, Khaira has just sleep walked through another entire preseason. Has been better than nobody, and he's probably a lock for a starting position. I'll never know why.

How bad does this player have to be for how long to actually lose a starting position on this team? He's been steadily worse and was never that much to begin with. He's 25 now and he's nothing. He doesn't even have a signature niche in the NHL yet and this is his 5th season up with the club. For 5 years he's known what he's supposed to be doing here and he refuses to do it.

If he just hit, played rugged, was hard to play against and kept peoples head up there I would say that's enough. He does NONE of that.

A player that was never good enough to make a reasonable NHL lineup has now been here for several years, doing nothing. This being a player that has been HS and benched by repeated coaches and is still here doing nothing. Still pencilled in like he's something.

 

[Messrules11]

So here we are in a new season, Khaira has just sleep walked through another entire preseason. Has been better than nobody, and he's probably a lock for a starting position. I'll never know why.

How bad does this player have to be for how long to actually lose a starting position on this team? He's been steadily worse and was never that much to begin with. He's 25 now and he's nothing. He doesn't even have a signature niche in the NHL yet and this is his 5th season up with the club. For 5 years he's known what he's supposed to be doing here and he refuses to do it.

If he just hit, played rugged, was hard to play against and kept peoples head up there I would say that's enough. He does NONE of that.

A player that was never good enough to make a reasonable NHL lineup has now been here for several years, doing nothing. This being a player that has been HS and benched by repeated coaches and is still here doing nothing. Still pencilled in like he's something.

6 games in and more of the same. Tippett really needs to sit this guy. Even better Holland needs to ship him out.