Maple Leafs Sign John Klingberg to One-Year Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year deal paying him $4.15 million per season.

Heading into the 2022 offseason, many believed that Klingberg was going to be the bell of the proverbial ball before free agency, with most predicting that he would sign a long-term contract with his then team, the Dallas Stars, or at the least receive a three-plus-year contract. He was coming off a 47-point season, after all, where he was playing 22 minutes each night in a top-line pairing for the Stars.

Related: 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker

However, that didn’t come to fruition. Whether it was due to high expectations, a flat cap, or a mixture of the two, Klingberg simply didn’t receive that big contract. Instead, later in free agency than normal, he signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks, where he was expected to play big minutes for a weak team, raise his trade value, then be dealt at the deadline for a chance to prove himself again in the playoffs.

While he was traded at the deadline to the Minnesota Wild, Klingberg didn’t have a massive season as hoped. While he still posted 33 points, he took a bit of a step back on the ice. This could have been partly due to his playing for a bad Anaheim team, but even with the Wild he simply didn’t look the part of a top-two defenseman in the NHL right now.

Now, that’s not to say that he can’t become that player once again, as Klingberg is a proven veteran that likely has four or more years of high-level play left in his career. If he can find his place with Toronto, he can easily get back to those highs and earn a new contract.

What Klingberg Brings to the Maple Leafs

For the Maple Leafs, they appear to be buying low on a player that we know has a lot of talent, but just wasn’t able to find the right spot since departing Dallas. While he bet on himself and that bet didn’t come to fruition last season, that doesn’t mean that he won’t be impactful for Toronto.

In a reduced role behind players like T.J. Brodie and Morgan Rielly, Klingberg should be in a better spot to find his game. The talent is there for him to take on top-four minutes for at least a few more seasons, especially given his general body of work before 2022-23.

Is this a bit of a gamble for Toronto? Not really, thanks to the one-year term on this contract. If they are right and Klingberg returns to form, then the Maple Leafs can move to lock him down with an extension next offseason. If not, then it was a worthy attempt to shore up their defense.