John Klingberg, the defenseman acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs just 13 games ago — as part of an off-season signing meant to boost the power play and offense from the blue line — found himself as the seventh defenseman during the team’s recent practice session on Thursday. Klingberg, who has been struggling on the ice, was partnered with Conor Timmins, who was wearing a red non-contact sweater. This raised early indications that Klingberg might be a scratch in the upcoming game against the Calgary Flames.
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During practice, the defensive pairings were as follows: Morgan Rielly with TJ Brodie, Mark Giordano with Jake McCabe, and Simon Benoit with William Lagesson, with Klingberg positioned as the seventh defenseman.
The decision to potentially bench Klingberg comes after a lackluster performance where he was on the ice for four goals against in the Maple Leafs’ 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. This swift demotion to the seventh spot is seemingly being supported by the whole of Leafs Nation, many of whom are already calling for the Leafs to trade the defenseman who doesn’t play defense. Many are questioning Klingberg’s performance, wondering if he has lost his touch or if there are underlying issues affecting his gameplay.
Klingberg Has Earned This Demotion
Interestingly, Simon Benoit and William Lagesson, who form the third defensive pair, have shown more consistency and effectiveness, relegating Klingberg further down the depth chart. This unexpected development has sparked discussions about Klingberg’s future with the team. Some critics argue that his signing by the Maple Leafs hasn’t yielded the desired results and that it might be time to part ways with the player.
There is a consensus among fans that Klingberg’s performance has been subpar, making him a liability on the ice. Many are calling for Maple Leafs’ management, particularly general manager Brad Treliving, to recognize the situation and consider trading Klingberg to free up cap space, which currently stands at $4.15 million. This move could potentially allow the team to address other areas of need and strengthen their lineup.
The situation has left many baffled as it took a long time for head coach Sheldon Keefe to finally shorten the extended leash given to Klingberg despite his struggles. The player has become a topic of intense scrutiny within the Maple Leafs fan base. And, as the team faces upcoming challenges and continues to struggle to consistently win hockey games, decisions regarding Klingberg’s role and future with the organization will undoubtedly be closely monitored.
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Ssdd
November 9, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Oh, so management takes the desires of Leaf Nation into account??? Why write this shit??? They don’t give a rats ass what “Leaf Nation” or some water cooler blogger, that’s you Parsons, think. They don’t have to win to fill the house so scratch that as motivation. Trades don’t just happen overnight, many considerations to be made, so there is no short term solution other than Klingberg has to be better or they have to look internally.