Klefbom returns to Edmonton and explains how much he misses playing for the Oilers
One of the biggest “What if?” scenarios around the Edmonton Oilers over the past few years is: What if Oscar Klefbom was able to keep playing hockey?
The Swedish defenceman was forced to retire this summer at the age of 31 due to a shoulder injury that has kept him off the ice since 2020. Klefbom spent his entire NHL career with the Oilers, having made his debut in 2013 and having last played with Edmonton during the 2020 qualifying round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
For the majority of his career, he was one of the Oilers’ top defencemen and losing him to injury represented a major loss for the team. Klefbom hasn’t been heard from much during the last five years, but fans finally got to see him again last night as he was in Rogers Place to watch the Oilers take on the Anaheim Ducks.
The Swedish defender appeared on the Sportsnet panel with beloved beat reporter Gene Principe between periods last night where he opened up about life after hockey.
“I got a good quality of life back home in Sweden,” Klefbom told Principe. “I am really happy how it turned out, obviously not how my hockey turned out, but I am happy with how my shoulder is.”
"It's hard to explain how much I want to be on the ice."
Former Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom joins @GenePrincipe to discuss what life looks like after making the difficult decision to step away from hockey. pic.twitter.com/Lsz4kxySLv
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 5, 2025
It’s hard not to argue that a healthy Klefbom could have been that missing piece to have helped push the Oilers over the edge over the past few seasons. If he was still playing today, Klefbom would probably be no worse than the solid top-four guy that he was when his career abruptly ended.
He admitted that while it’s nice to be back in Edmonton, a part of him still wishes to be playing.
“It’s really good to be here again in Edmonton and see all the fans and all the people,” Klefbom said. “It’s hard to explain how much I want to be on the ice, but I wish them the best, and I wanted to be there last in the run.”
The shoulder injury that he was dealing with was a serious issue. You don’t often see players in their mid-20s hang it up during their prime. Principe asked how things have progressed in his recovery, and Klefbom gave a positive update on his health.
“It’s good, no pain whatsoever, maybe a little bit weaker than I used to be,” Klefbom said.
The former Oilers defenceman was shown on the jumbotron during the game and received a massive ovation from the Edmonton faithful. There is still plenty of love for Klefbom around these parts.
With how the team has been playing of late, there are probably plenty of fans wondering if Klefbom has a comeback in him as well. If only.