FEATURE: Slepyshev continues to impress, finding chemistry with linemates

EDMONTON, AB -There are times when Anton Slepyshev looks like he's going to dump the puck in, but then just takes off with it, bursting down the wing. There have been flashes of the kind of pace he can play with, and as his confidence grows those flashes become a more frequent reminder of the potential of the player.
Oilers Captain Connor McDavid said after the game in Anaheim a couple weeks ago that Slepyshev was "unbelievable." It was the start of an upward trend for the 23-year-old third-round pick.

"I think when you look at a guy with a big frame like that, the speed can be deceiving and that's one thing where when he picks up his speed, I think he can beat any defenceman wide," said Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira. "He's shown that in the last, I don't know, three or four games, and he's doing that a lot more. It's easy when you have a guy like that and he controls the puck and makes plays just inside the blue."
Khaira is a familiar linemate of Slepyshev, dating back to their time in the minors together with the Bakersfield Condors. The pair has been reunited - for the time being - and connected on a goal against Boston on Tuesday. With his assist, Slepyshev has two goals and two helpers in his last eight games, after having just one goal and two assists the rest of the season.

"I feel good. I feel better and better every game," Slepyshev said. "I try to focus on my game and it doesn't matter who my linemates are. I had two or three moments the other game to score and (feel) I could have finished that game early. I had two or three pretty good moments in the third."
Head Coach Todd McLellan said after the game against Boston, that Slepyshev has "improved immensely." It's not out of character for McLellan to promote Slepyshev up the lineup on any given night, something he's done frequently over the last stretch of games. While he may start on the third or fourth line, he's someone who can step into the top nine at any give moment.
But saddled up with Khaira is a comfortable spot for Slepyshev.
"I played with J.J. in Bakersfield and we actually know what to expect from each other and if we could play three or four games together, it would be great and I think it will be way better," he said.

"He was a great player down there as well, but the growth he's had from that first time I played with him, I remember I was on his line and he understands the game a lot better now," said Khaira. "You can just tell with the confidence when he's with the puck. He doesn't always dump it in, he's ready to make plays first. He gets into the dirty areas and he makes it really easy to play with him."
The two are seemingly a nice match for the Oilers, and they've had recent career paths. Both worked their way through the minors, both have dealt with being in and out of the lineup, and both are battling for permanent spots. Khaira has been a bit more established this season, while Slepyshev is getting there - especially after his contributions in last year's playoff run (three goals).

"It's tough when you're in and out of the lineup to get that flow and get that confidence going," said Khaira. "But with (Slepyshev), you see him playing out there and he controls the puck. He controls the pace of play. When he's confident and he's skating, he makes it easy for people to play with him."
McLellan likes the combination of Khaira, Ryan Strome and Slepyshev. He says whether or not they stick together will depend on how other lines are going.
For now, the three seem to enjoy playing with each other. Strome's chemistry with Khaira has been a storyline for much of the season, while adding Slepyshev to the mix gives the players another capable partner in crime - especially if the three continue to improve and produce.