Last year, Sahvan led his team to glory with a remarkable record of six goals and 20 assists in 65 games for his team, Swift Current Broncos.
Ice hockey player Sahvan Khaira is a big man with big goals. Last year, he led his team to glory with a remarkable record of six goals and 20 assists in 65 games for his team, Swift Current Broncos. At a hulking 6’4” and 225 lbs, Sahvan is a big man who plays like one.
An excellent player, Sahvan finished 10th in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in penalty minutes. This is his fourth year in the league; he played two years with the Seattle Thunderbirds and just completed his second season with the Swift Current Broncos. The most important lesson Sahvan learned in the last four years is “to not get frustrated. It takes some time to adapt to the league and understand what you need to do to thrive, but you just have to put in the work and grind through it.”
This year, the Swift Current Broncos won the WHL Championship and advanced to the Memorial Cup. Sahvan’s stellar play and leadership significantly contributed to the team’s success. His veteran leadership was rewarded with the assistant-captain designation for the second half of the 2017-18 season. Being an assistant captain was “a cool experience” says the player. “As one of the older guys, I wanted to lead by example to drive our team and help the young players adjust to the league.”
Growing up, older brother and Edmonton Oilers hockey player, Jujhar Khaira, was a big influence in Sahvan’s life. A young Sahvan would watch and learn from Jujhar’s games, and that fuelled his drive to play ice hockey professionally. When it comes to Sahvan’s playing technique, he likes to model himself after NHL defenseman Brent Seabrook. Being a big, bruising defenseman himself, Sahvan knows how to handle the puck, and with his recent experience as assistant captain, he also carries the leadership qualities Seabrook displays in the NHL.
The main goal for the three major leagues in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is to win the Memorial Cup. The Swift Current Broncos were able to make it to the Memorial Cup but couldn’t bring home the trophy. The season was a huge success for the Swift Current Broncos; the team won each round of the WHL playoffs and become WHL Champions. Sahvan was a significant part of his team’s success and enjoyed every minute of it. “We were busy the whole time prepping and playing so [we] didn’t have too much down time but it was just an awesome experience,” recalls Sahvan about the Memorial Cup, which is the biggest deal there is in junior hockey.
He appreciates the support and love he receives from Broncos fans and is thankful for their presence at the Memorial Cup in Regina, Saskatchewan. “Our crowds at home games during the WHL playoffs were easily the best and loudest I have ever played in and they still came out to Regina to give us so much support,” he adds.
When it comes to contributions off the ice in the community, Sahvan does his part at team events. Specifically, he is involved in a program for reading to elementary school kids. He conveys how “nice it is to give back to the fans. A lot of these kids come to the games and recognize the players so it’s definitely an honour to do this work for the community.”
Sahvan’s future goal is to get to the NHL. “Whether it be through the draft or summer camps, I want to make an impact and join a team to showcase my skills and make it on the big stage,” he states.
With his work ethic and skill, he should have no problem reaching his goal and playing in the NHL one day.