Oilers newcomer Joakim Nygard skating with Oscar Klefbom

One of the Edmonton Oilers’ longest-tenured players is getting an up-close and personal look at one of the teams newest acquisitions.

Spending his summer in his hometown Karlstad, Sweden, Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom is skating with a group of NHL’ers including Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Rasmus Asplund, Jacob De La Rose, and longtime friend Jonas Brodin.

Included in that group is newly signed Oilers F Joakim Nygard.

“He’s working out with us and he’s on the ice with us. He looks really good on the ice,” Klefbom told EdmontonOilers.com. “He’s going to be very fun to see and I’m interested to see how he handles the smaller ice, the speed, and the competition part of it because it’s very different.

“I just remember when I came over and I played at that time in Edmonton and Oklahoma City. It’s a big adjustment, but it’s going to be very interesting to see how he handles that because I think he’s one of those players who we really need in the team right now. He brings a lot of speed and he’s crazy explosive.”

A nice compliment from Klefbom, to say the least, for a player who is quite unknown. Despite being coveted by the Calgary Flames and up to 20 other teams, Nygard chose the Oilers.

The pair played together for parts of two seasons in the early 2010’s, too.

Last year, Nygard played 52 games with the SHL’s Farjestads BK Karlstad scoring 35 points (21G, 14A) in 2018-19 which ranked him third on the team. His goal total, however, was good enough for second in the league behind Blue Jackets’ prospect Emil Bemstrom who finished his year with 23.

His NHLe equates to 31 points, which would be a nice addition to the Oilers wings.

Klefbom saying Nygard brings a lot of speed and is crazy explosive is what many want to hear, given the lack thereof last season. Nygard is only on a one-year deal paying him $925,000, so there really is no risk in the signing.

On Twitter: @zjlaing