Blackhawks: Jujhar Khaira might be one of the most interesting additions

The Chicago Blackhawks added Jujhar Khaira when free agency began last week, and that decision might be one of the better moves from the team.

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a busy offseason. They have gone out and added Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, Tyler Johnson, Caleb Jones, and Marc-Andre Fleury. However one of the most interesting players the team added has to be Jujhar Khaira.

Fleury, Seth Jones, and Johnson are all stars in this league. Fleury and Johnson have combined for five Stanley Cups, and even more Final appearances and Jones is the number one defenseman this team needs for the future.

However, on free agency day, one of the most underrated moves that the team did was sign Jujhar Khaira from the Edmonton Oilers. Khaira is now under contract for two seasons in Chicago on a deal worth under a million.

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Sure Khaira might not be a big offensive player, he has 63 points in 258 NHL games, but he is a big physical guy that can bring a lot to the team’s fourth line. The Blackhawks’ depth has been greatly improved the past few seasons, but one thing the team was missing was a bigger physical guy that can be involved during special teams in a grinder type of role.

The team got that and more in Khaira. He is only 26, will be 27 by the time the season starts and is on a very team-friendly deal that won’t hurt the team for the next two years. Chicago was lucky to add a guy like Khaira to their lineup. Every skilled player like Nylander or Kurashev or Hagel needs a bit of size on their team. Chicago has always been a smaller team that didn’t hit – adding Khaira changes that.

The Blackhawks were very busy during the past three weeks. The team has seen a lot of makeover as of late, and I have to say there are not that many moves I do not like for the team. Chicago’s fourth line of Khaira – Gaudette – and Kurashev or Nylander will be tough to compete against. This is a deeper roster than before, and thanks to the addition of Khaira they are now a bigger more physical group.