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Edmonton Oilers sign free-agent defenceman John Klingberg

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Jan 17 2025, 6:41 pm
Edmonton Oilers sign free-agent defenceman John Klingberg
Jerome Miron/Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers have made a big signing on the back end.

The Oilers have signed defenceman John Klingberg to a one-year deal worth $1 million, as per TSN’s Darren Dreger. The contract will also include a $350,000 bonus.

The Oilers were viewed as frontrunners to sign the 32-year-old after news broke earlier in the week that he was looking to make a return to the NHL.

Klingberg is an offensively-minded right-shot defenceman who had several big seasons with the Dallas Stars. He recorded a career-high 68 points in 2017-18 and has had six seasons in which he has put up 40 or more.

Klingberg has declined in more recent years, in large part due to injury. He lasted just 14 games after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the 2023-24 season before being shut down to undergo hip surgery. It’s been a lengthy recovery and resulted in him remaining unsigned.

This signing does have some risk, as there is no way of knowing whether or not Klingberg has fully recovered from the hip issue that slowed down his game in recent years. That said, if he can get back to the player he was in his prime with the Stars, the Oilers will have themselves a very good defenceman.

The Oilers have been in the market for a defenceman for some time, preferably one that is a right-handed shot. While most expected them to trade for one, they have instead gone the free-agent route. That said, they may still look to make a move for even more blue line depth ahead of the March 5 trade deadline.

Once Klingberg is up to speed and ready to go for the Oilers, he may jump into the lineup for Troy Stecher, whose minutes have been quite limited lately.

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