The Edmonton Oilers have signed free agent defenceman John Klingberg, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Friday. Details of the contract were not immediately known.
John Klingberg heading to the Oilers.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 17, 2025
Klingberg, 32, is attempting an NHL comeback after not playing since November 2023, last with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The right-shot, offensive defenceman underwent a hip resurfacing surgery, that has seen him on the shelf since rehabilitating the injury.
Having 412 points in 633 games to his name, Klingberg’s strengths have long been in his ability to transport the puck, with his strongest offensive season coming in 2017-18, when the then-25-year-old scored eight goals and a career-high 67 points.
Patrick Kane, 36, is the most recent player who underwent such surgery, and he’s found success with the Detroit Red Wings since returning, racking up 31 goals and 76 points in 89 games over the past two seasons. It offers some promise that Klingberg can be successful in his return to the NHL ice, but the truth is that it’s unknown if he can.
The Oilers have been considered the front runners, or one of, since it was first reported Monday that Klingberg was attempting a comeback. On Wednesday, the Oilers were considered “a primary target” to sign Klingberg, and now, that’s happened.
Edmonton’s biggest need this season is on the blue line, and the club has already been linked to many of the few names available on the market. While it remains to be seen what Klingberg can bring, the team is essentially getting a free look.
He’ll have some familiar faces in Edmonton in fellow Swedes Mattias Janmark, Viktor Arvidsson, and Mattias Ekholm, with all of them in a similar age range. He and Janmark will know each other well, given they played together for five years on the Dallas Stars between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
