Edmonton Oilers
Oilers, Sens, & Maple Leafs Eyeing UFA Former All-Star D-Man
The Oilers, Maple Leafs, and Senators are all teams reportedly open to adding John Klingberg, who is attempting his NHL return.
John Klingberg is looking to make his NHL return, and three Canadian teams are interested: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Ottawa Senators. Dreger says the Vancouver Canucks also checked in on Klingberg’s situation, but they are not as keen as the other teams.
After joining the Toronto Maple Leafs on a one-year, $4.15 million deal in July 2023, Klingberg struggled and was placed on long-term injured reserve in November due to a hip injury. It was learned he’d been playing through a serious injury and on December 7, GM Brad Treliving announced that Klingberg would undergo hip surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. It wasn’t clear Klingberg would make an NHL comeback.
John Klingberg is closing in on resuming his NHL career. Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton among the teams with expressed interest. A decision expected in next 2 weeks. Klingberg had hip resurfacing surgery in 2023 and has worked hard to get to this point. 5-7 teams in the mix.
Is Klingberg a Bad Idea or Helpful Option for Teams?
Immediate reactions from fans on social media to Dreger’s tweet were mostly negative. Teams were warned that this was not necessarily a move they should make, which is somewhat understandable considering the way Klingberg’s final couple of seasons have gone. At the same time, he was once a very solid offensive defenseman and it’s hard to know how much his injury played into his struggles.
On the right deal and in the right situation, a healthy Klingberg could be useful. He can produce and if he’s open to a two-way deal, it’s not a huge risk for teams who need a puck mover.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period writes, “Klingberg’s been training in/around Toronto in hopes of getting back up to speed and ready for NHL action again. Could be a solid depth add for a playoff-bound club.” The news that the Senators are interested adds a twist. Seeing as they are not currently a playoff-bound team, they must believe a player like Klingberg will help their odds of getting there.
Klingberg and Oilers Linked Before
Klingberg has experience with the Maple Leafs, but there were previous reports a couple of seasons ago that the Oilers had Klingberg on their radar. It was a different GM and a different time, but his name associated with Edmonton’s is not new.
A fair question to ask is, if Klingberg is a playoff specialist, where would he fit on an Oilers team that has Evan Bouchard?
Next: NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Flames and Oilers Win, Matthews…
More News
