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"I agree": Klefbom believes he'd fit in great with Oilers current blue line

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Apr 11 2024, 5:04 pm
"I agree": Klefbom believes he'd fit in great with Oilers current blue line
Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports

Though it may not be elite, the Edmonton Oilers’ blue line is approaching the playoffs looking as good as it has in a long time.

Evan Bouchard has really come into his own this season, as his 79 points rank fourth amongst all NHL defencemen. His partner, Mattias Ekholm, has easily been the Oilers’ best all-around defenceman, shutting down the opposing team’s top stars while putting up some impressive offensive totals himself.

Darnell Nurse is also having a solid season on the second pairing with Cody Ceci, while Brett Kulak and Vincent Desharnais have proven themselves to be a very reliable third pairing. That said, many feel like having one more established top-four defenceman would really help solidify this team as a true Stanley Cup contender.

One such defenceman who is still often on the minds of Oilers fans is Oscar Klefbom. The now 30-year-old was an excellent option for several seasons on the back end and only continued to improve. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury robbed what appeared to be a great NHL career, with his final games coming in the 2020 playoffs.

Since stepping away from the game, Klefbom has been rather quiet. However, he recently chimed in on an Instagram post from Oilers Nation, responding with a simple “I agree” to a comment about how well he would fit in on the blue line with a talent such as Bouchard.

Klefbom last spoke to the media in a scrum setting in 2021, where he expressed doubt that he would ever return. He said that getting back to a pain-free, good quality of life was his biggest goal.

“When it comes to quality of life, that’s priority number one,” Klefbom said. “You want to have a good life after hockey as well. Obviously I want to come back playing, but I’ve been playing with pain for a long time. When it affects your private life, how you sleep and how you can hardly put your clothes on or lift anything, it’s different. That’s why I came to a point where I really wanted to have the surgery done.

“When you get home to your house and you can hardly sleep, get the rest you need or even put your clothes on, it gets really mentally tough. Hopefully I can get a good quality of life after hockey, but still, I’m not giving up on the NHL.”

Though Klefbom has yet to officially retire from the NHL, a comeback appears extremely unlikely, given the amount of time he has missed. He is officially listed as a UFA, with his seven-year contract with the Oilers ending after the 2022-23 season.

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