2:31 p.m.: Klingberg’s bonus is a signing bonus, not performance incentives, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports. There are no performance bonuses in the deal, but the prorated cap hit now rises to $1.35MM instead of $1MM.
1:57 p.m.: Klingberg’s contract carries a prorated base salary and cap hit of $1MM, Dreger reports. He can earn an additional $350K in performance bonuses. The Oilers confirmed the signing in quick succession.
12:37 p.m.: The Oilers are nearing an agreement with unrestricted free agent defenseman John Klingberg, Darren Dreger of TSN reports Friday.
Edmonton was one of a few Canadian teams and a smaller handful south of the border to express interest in Klingberg over the past few weeks, according to earlier reporting from Dreger. The 32-year-old, who finished as high as sixth in Norris Trophy voting twice early in his career, hasn’t played in well over a year after undergoing season-ending hip resurfacing surgery with the Maple Leafs in December 2023.
Klingberg became an unrestricted free agent last summer after the one-year, $4.15MM deal he signed with Toronto in 2023 lapsed after just 14 appearances. As a player with at least 400 NHL games played who spent at least 100 days on injured reserve in the prior season, he’s eligible to sign a one-year contract with performance bonuses that could lower the initial cap hit of the deal.
As with any contract involving performance bonuses, the Oilers must have the cap room to accommodate any bonuses he may earn as part of his deal. If they don’t, any amount they exceed the salary cap will be applied as a bonus carryover penalty to their 2025-26 picture.
Thanks to Evander Kane’s continuing recovery from multiple surgeries, Edmonton should be in the clear with over $5MM in its LTIR pool. His availability for the rest of the regular season is in doubt after he underwent additional knee surgery earlier this month, carrying an eight-week recovery period and halting his rehabilitation from offseason abdominal surgery.
If he stays healthy, Klingberg serves as an early deadline pickup for the Oilers and takes some pressure off general manager Stan Bowman to give up assets for an additional right-shot defender. Edmonton’s left side of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak have all averaged north of 20 minutes per game this season and done so with decent possession metrics, but the same can’t be said of depth righties Ty Emberson and Troy Stecher.
The Oilers needed another body to throw into the mix on either their second pairing alongside Nurse or their third pairing next to Kulak, and adding Klingberg gives them a far more offensively inclined option – albeit one that comes with significant defensive shortcomings. While still a serviceable power-play quarterback who posted five assists in last year’s injury-shortened campaign and has averaged more than 20 minutes per game in all of his 10 NHL seasons, his -60 rating between the 2021-22 and 2023-24 campaigns is sixth-worst among defensemen. In the 2022-23 season, which he split between the Ducks and Wild, he was on the ice for more expected goals against per game at even strength (1.13) than any other qualified defender in the league.
Edmonton will need to free up a roster spot to sign Klingberg officially. That will likely be demoting center Noah Philp or defenseman Josh Brown to AHL Bakersfield.
Klingberg will be a UFA again in months if his contract is a one-year pact, as expected. It will mark his third consecutive one-year deal after completing a seven-year, $29.75MM commitment with the Stars in 2022.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
I just want to see a game where Klingberg plays with Bouchard lol
Love Bouchard on my fantasy team but saying he’s not a good defender is putting it mildly.
This guy is an absolute trainwreck in his own zone. But I’m sure Oilers fans will love this and compare him to Paul Coffey
Oilers gonna Oiler.
Wish him well. Will never forget his playoffs against Matthew Tkachuk that was peak Klingberg a legit top pairing guy
Major hip surgery, An absolute liability in his own zone, Yep! This looks, And sounds like a Stan Bowman transaction. Sit back, Watch, And enjoy.
Why
Why wouldn’t they just sign Tyson Barrie? Similar player that is familiar with the team.
Klingberg is a top 4 guy when healthy. Barrie is a PP specialist. Peak Klingberg >> peak Barrie
Neither is likely to be the solution, but for a million they can just bury Klingberg in the minors if he cannot get back to form.
Because Barrie is signed to the Flames.
Why have 5 forwards on the power play when you can have 5 forwards at 5 v 5? ~O_o~
Great signing…6 years ago.
So many haters. For what it’s worth Bouchard has become a far better defender than he once was though still not amazing defensively his offensive output more than makes up for it. I like this signing taking a chance at 1.35 million sounds like a nice bet to me. Seriously what is the risk here? Oilers have the two best players in the world so haters gotta hate. Just like when pitty was relevant and had Crosby – the best of this generation (sorry McDavid) – and Malkin and Letang and Fluery. Back in the day letang was pretty weak defensively and they won cups. Skinner ain’t fluery but that’s one heck of a team there.
@mcdavidlikeamac,
Sure Crosby/Malkin/Letang might compare to McDavid/Draisaitl/Bouchard, but Pitts in those years also had Goligoski, Gonchar, McKee, and Orpik on the backend. And many more defensively responsible FW to help them. Not to mention Fluery as their #1 over a starter at Stu’s calibre. Stu has better days to come, but he’s still not there. Ekholm is a great 2 way especially in his own end to protect Bouchards shortcomings like Gonch was for Letang early years. But, as an Oilers fan, there is no vet defense nor defensive players on the Edmonton roster that compare to the depth that Pitts had in those days. Nurse has been better this year, but still shows weaknesses. Who saves him? Kulak has looked great as a 5. who’s the 6? Emberson? then who is the 4?
Oh and what goalie in the Oil system compares to Fluery to make up for any defensive shortcomings? Or can they afford one?
There still gonna shop for a top 4 defender klingberg was a added bonus to replace sketcher and the should go for Jonathan quick as a backup goalie to help and trade Jeff skinner lol I would of loved to see zadorov on our team or trouba someone like a fright train on the backend
Or even a package deal for trouba and gudos so no one will mess around on the backend lol
Even bring back kassian and bring a lot more toughness to the team so we can cover all angles
My bad he’s a pro scout for us lol but someone like him to add toughness