It appears that the Wild will be bringing in some extra forward depth, at least for training camp. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that they’re in discussions with Jujhar Khaira about a contract. Whether that’s a PTO agreement or a full-fledged contract remains to be seen.
The 29-year-old spent last season with Chicago, playing out the final year of a two-year deal that carried an AAV of $975K. Khaira got into 51 games with the Blackhawks but also missed more than two months with a back issue. That, of course, came on the heels of him missing 43 games with back trouble the year before. Khaira’s production was actually his best since the 2018-19 campaign as he pitched in with six goals and eight assists while logging just shy of 14 minutes per game.
Khaira’s career thus far spans parts of eight NHL seasons, the majority of which were spent with Edmonton who drafted him in the third round (63rd overall) back in 2012. He has 336 appearances at the top level under his belt, tallying 33 goals, 47 assists and 783 hits while averaging 12:37 per contest of ice time.
With Minnesota being one of many teams that are tight to the salary cap, it’s likely that Khaira will be signing for the minimum if he does wind up with a guaranteed deal. His ability to play all three forward positions and kill penalties would certainly give the Wild some desired flexibility on the fourth line, a trio that figures to be particularly physical as it currently stands.
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