John Klingberg is facing down quite the predicament this season. Playing on an expiring contract – a contract that has made him a bargain for the Dallas Stars for many years – Klingberg is planning his future. The talented defenseman has watched a number of defensemen, unrestricted and restricted free agents alike, sign massive, long-term extensions over the past few months. Unsurprisingly, Klingberg has expressed his interest in joining this group with his next deal. Klingberg, 29, would be one of, if not the top defender on the open market if he makes it there this summer and could command such a contract. Yet, Klingberg has also been adamant about his desire to stay in Dallas. The Stars just gave fellow rearguard Miro Heiskanen an eight-year, $67.6MM extension and have both Esa Lindell and Ryan Suter signed for three more years beyond 2021-22 at substantial cap numbers. Can Klingberg land the deal he wants in Dallas?
Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek was the first to put hard numbers to the hypothetical, reporting that Klingberg was seeking a a max-term deal in the $62-66MM range. This would put him just below his young teammate Heiskanen over the same number of years. This would likely be a palatable scenario for the Stars to keep their elite top-four together without paying more for Klingberg, who would be 37 when his next deal expired, than for Heiskanen, who will be as old as Klingberg is now.
Unfortunately, that may be a pipedream for the Stars. Klingberg is among the top ten scoring defensemen in the NHL over the course of his current contract. Why should he settle for an AAV of $7.75-8.25MM as Marek suggests when he has outscored the likes of Dougie Hamilton, Seth Jones, and Darnell Nurse – all of similar age and experience – and they each came in at $9MM+ on recent deals? The Athletic’s Saad Yousef claims that Marek’s numbers are merely a starting point. He has heard from sources that Klingberg is chasing that $9-9.5MM AAV and on a long-term deal, knowing this could be his last chance at a big pay day given his age.
Klingberg’s camp has not drawn a line in the sand on their numbers just yet as the defenseman truly does wish to stay in Dallas. Yousef also notes that even at this elevated, fair-market asking price, the Stars can still afford to re-sign Klingberg and likely will do just that if he performs well early this season. There could be some wiggle room for Klingberg to take a slightly shorter deal or come in a little lower than his comparable given his age and the “hometown discount” factor. However, the pressure is on for the Stars to work out those kinks and come to an agreement. The longer the season wears on, the longer Klingberg has to prove he is elite and the prize of the free agent class, driving up his bargaining power on contract talks. Both sides want to see the relationship extended, but those odds go down the longer they wait. Dallas is prepared for that possibility, but that would make it no less of a major blow if Klingberg walks away.
If your team is out of playoffs by xmas then trade him for good solid picks or prospects or give him a 3 year deal around 8.0 million a year..age is not on his side…but really good dman..
Yeah, I’m really hoping they don’t sign him long term for that number. 3-5 deal for 8 mil AAV is fine, but and 8 year deal would be awful.
I hate when writers only talk about point totals. I like Klinger but he’s not good in our own end. Not just not great, or average. He’s not quite bad, but he’s definitely not good.
The Suter deal seems like it’s going to hurt us in negotiations. That contract is for too much and for too long. I would have regather seen that money get lumped into long term extensions for Gurianov and Roope.
1) 30-something hockey players not named Marchand do not get *better*. Rather the reverse. Klingberg’s offense has been his calling card, and his offensive numbers are in decline.
2) Comparing Klingsberg to younger defensemen who’ve been All-Stars doesn’t really wash. Only in two seasons has he gotten ANY Norris or All-Star votes. That Klingsberg wants to be paid like one of the league’s top defensemen is as may be, but he isn’t regarded as being one. Would Yousef or Marek trade Hamilton, Jones or Nurse for Klingsberg even up? (No, I didn’t think so.)
3) Dallas has the money to sign Klingberg at that number? Say what? The only reason they’re under the cap as it stands is with Bishop on LTIR. A lot of money comes off the books next season, but the problem with giving that much to your #2 defenseman is that you don’t have it any more to give to anyone else. Obviously they won’t give big renewals to the likes of Pavelski and Radulov, but they’re going to want to use that money to sign players to pick up the slack.
4) This is a pretty ancient team: SIXTEEN Stars will be 30 or older next year. Handing out huge bucks to one of them is going in the wrong direction. Father Time never loses.
1) 30-something hockey players not named Marchand do not get *better*. Rather the reverse. Klingberg’s offense has been his calling card, and his offensive numbers are in decline.
2) Comparing Klingsberg to younger defensemen who’ve been All-Stars doesn’t really wash. Only in two seasons has he gotten ANY Norris or All-Star votes. That Klingsberg wants to be paid like one of the league’s top defensemen is as may be, but he isn’t regarded as being one. Would Yousef or Marek trade Hamilton, Jones or Nurse for Klingsberg even up? (No, I didn’t think so.)
3) Dallas has the money to sign Klingberg at that number? Say what? The only reason they’re under the cap as it stands is with Bishop on LTIR. A lot of money comes off the books next season, but the problem with giving that much to your #2 defenseman is that you don’t have it any more to give to anyone else. Obviously they won’t give big renewals to the likes of Pavelski and Radulov, but they’re going to want to use that money to sign players to pick up the slack.
4) This is a pretty ancient team: SIXTEEN Stars will be 30 or older next year. Handing out huge bucks to one of them is going in the wrong direction. Father Time never loses.