“It looked a lot it worse than I felt it was,” says Jujhar Khaira on being knocked out

There are few moments when you’re watching a hockey game when you get more concerned for a player than when they are knocked unconscious.

It’s a fast sport and big hits are sometimes the cause, but more often than not knockouts are doled out in fights. Jujhar Khaira was on the receiving end of that last week against the Calgary Flames, when he was hit with a knockout blow by Brett Ritchie.

No worse for wear, Khaira missed two games but drew back into the Oilers lineup Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. The punch, he says, looked a lot worse than it was.

“For myself, it looked a lot it worse than I felt it was,” said Khaira. “But there is that (concussion) protocol and precaution that the league has to take and the team has to take for my safety.

“It was standard protocol. When something like that happens, the doctors and the trainers are cautious. It’s not about them at that point, it’s more about my safety. I had to pass a few tests and I did that.”

And thankfully so. Those moments are scary, and a guy like Khaira has never shyed away from dropping the gloves. With 15 career NHL fights already under his belt, he said it isn’t an element he plans on getting rid of.

“That’s just the style of game that I play. That’s what I feel I bring to the table. It’s not necessarily me fighting every game, but when I have to stand up for myself or other teammates I definitely won’t change that.”

It’s far from the only thing he can do, and this season has arguably been his most complete as a full-time NHL’er. He’s appeared in 23 games this year scoring three goals and eight points and is now only two points off his point total from last year in 40 less games.

He’s found a home on the Oilers third line and while driving offence is far from his strong suit, with him on the ice Edmonton has an expected goals against rate 13 percent below the league average, according to hockeyviz.com.

But the offence has come in a way that hasn’t in his past. At 5×5, his 2.18 points per hour rate comes in third on the Oilers roster with only Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid ahead of him.

Due a new contract this offseason, there’s only one player that has been in the organization longer than Khaira, and that’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He isn’t likely to cost much, but Khaira has really carved himself into a role as a solid NHL player.