A constant concern for the Edmonton Oilers over the last few years has been their defence. They have constantly been trying to shore up their blue line by any means necessary to stay in contention. Of the many pieces to come through the system is recent acquisition John Klingberg. The Oilers picked him up in the middle of this past January on a one-year, $1 million pro-rated deal.
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Klingberg had not seen any action since November 2023 before signing with Edmonton. He last played with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a one-year, $4.15 million deal, which obviously did not last long when he hit the long-term injured reserve (LTIR). He has also played for the Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and, most notably, the Dallas Stars in his career since being drafted back in 2010.
After signing his one-year deal to finish out the season with Edmonton, it was expected that he would be an important piece for the team down the stretch and step up wherever he was needed. He may not be the top pairing player he used to be in his prime, but the Oilers hoped he could still be a reliable depth piece for a playoff run. However, as injuries continue to plague the team, Klingberg was hit the hardest.
What He’s Done This Season
After signing his new deal with the Oilers, Klingberg made his debut with the team roughly two weeks later in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. He would stay consistently in the lineup from then on through the league-wide break until the start of March; that’s when injury troubles began to creep back in. Klingberg would remain out for 23 days before suiting up for one final regular season game in an Oilers uniform on March 27, a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Seattle Kraken.
That’s the last time fans have seen the veteran defenceman on the ice. It was announced on April 9 that Klingberg would be placed on LTIR, all but guaranteeing he is shut down for the remainder of the season. In just 11 games, he recorded four points and an even plus/minus. Playing decent in his short time on the active roster, it is upsetting for many that he made such a hasty exit at a high price.
A Failure on All Fronts
What makes this such a failure for everyone involved is not only Klingberg’s abbreviated play in Edmonton, but the lack of work done on both sides in this deal. It has been clear for some time that the Oilers need help on the blue line, yet they always seem to invest in their forwards. And so halfway through the season, management realized they were going to need some support on their back end, and there weren’t a lot of options out there outside of waiting for the trade deadline. So they saw an experienced veteran in Klingberg, met whatever price he was asking, and brought him on.
What wasn’t considered was the fact that the back half of his career has been absolutely injury-riddled and is part of the reason he has struggled to stick with a team after his long stint with Dallas. He also signed with the Oilers coming off a long period of rehabbing from hip surgery, which can’t be easy on the body at his age and with all his past injuries.
To top things all off, Klingberg’s cap hit is north of $1.7 million. While that money has now been shipped off to the LTIR pool and does not count against the Oilers’ salary cap, it leaves fans wondering where that money could have been better spent given they didn’t get anywhere close to that value from the defenceman. This is especially top of mind now given the extended absences of defencemen Mattias Ekholm and Jake Walman.
What’s Next for Klingberg?
As for what’s next for the 32-year-old defender, it’s a bit of a mystery. Usually at his age there are lots of teams willing to spend and take on a guy a bit past his prime but still able to contribute. However, as mentioned, there have been several injuries along with a recent surgery to consider, so teams may not be as open to signing right out of the gate. There are a couple options that come to mind when thinking ahead to next season.
An experienced player like Klingberg could potentially get a deal from a rebuilding team who is looking for some veteran leadership and some stability on the back end. He could also wait it out and potentially do what he did this season and score a deal with a contender, whether that be before the season or midway through. There are obviously some heavy contingencies for him to be able to continue on, however. The first thing is his health, which he must address in the offseason. The second thing is his ability to take a team-friendly deal in order to prove his worth and play up to his value. If he can get a team to sign him on a veteran’s minimum and play some solid hockey, things will be looking up for him.
As we look back at the mess of a season (or two) it was for Klingberg, we can only hope things get better for him. In the end, the onus is on Edmonton’s management in this debacle, and a fresh start is needed for everyone.
