The Anaheim Ducks had a significant free agent signing on Friday as they came to terms with defenseman John Klingberg on a one-year deal worth $7 million. The Ducks become the second National Hockey League franchise Klingberg has played with as he previously played eight seasons with the Dallas Stars from 2014 to 2022.
2021-22 Statistics
This past season, Klingberg had six goals and 41 assists for 47 points in 74 games. He was a -28 with 34 penalty minutes, 20 power-play points, two game-winning goals, 139 shots on goal, 77 blocked shots, 57 hits, 16 takeaways and 86 giveaways.
Klingberg’s game-winning goals came in a 4-3 Stars win over the Chicago Blackhawks on December 18, 2021, and in a 4-3 Stars win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 17, 2022. Both of Klingberg’s game-winning goals were overtime winners. In the win over the Blackhawks, the goal came at 2:13 of the extra period from Joe Pavelski of Plover, Wisconsin and Roope Hintz of Tampere, Finland. Klingberg’s goal against Chicago was also his only power-play goal of the season. In the win over the Canadiens, the goal came with 10 seconds left in overtime from Jamie Benn of Victoria, British Columbia and Tyler Seguin of Brampton, Ontario.
Struggles on Defense in 2021-22
The one glaring statistic from Klingberg’s 2021-22 NHL season is the fact he was a career-worst -28. That was tied with Jordan Eberle of the Seattle Kraken for the ninth worst plus/minus in the NHL. Keith Yandle of the Philadelphia Flyers had the worst plus/minus in 2021-22 as he was a -47. Meanwhile, the player with the third worst plus/minus in the NHL made hockey headlines a week ago. Oliver Bjorkstrand of Herning, Denmark, (-35) was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Kraken on July 22, 2022 for a third round draft pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and a fourth round draft pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
The takeaway/giveaway ratio for Klingberg this past season was also terrible. There he was a -70, which was the worst takeaway/giveaway ratio of his career. Based on the fact Klingberg was a -28 in plus/minus, and a -70 in takeaway/giveaways, it is downright stunning the Ducks offered Klingberg $7 million.
Career Statistics
Klingberg has 71 goals and 303 assists for 374 points in his NHL regular season career. He is a -8 with 213 penalty minutes, 148 power-play points, 21 game-winning goals, 1117 shots on goal, one faceoff win, 649 blocked shots, 361 hits, 222 takeaways, and 616 giveaways. In 2018, Klingberg represented the Stars in the NHL All-Star Game.
In the playoffs, Klingberg has seven goals and 28 assists for 35 points in 59 games. He is a -4 with 48 penalty minutes, one power-play goal, four game-winning goals, 100 shots on goal, 71 blocked shots, 88 hits, 33 takeaways, and 74 giveaways.
Swedish Blueliner
Klingberg is 29 years of age and a native of Gothenburg, Sweden. He played for Frolunda in Sweden’s junior hockey system, before playing for Boras and Skelleftea. Klingberg has also played for Jokerit and Kiekko-Vantaa in Finland.
On the international side, Klingberg has won three gold medals while playing for Sweden. He won the gold medal at the 2012 World Junior Men’s Hockey Championships in Calgary, the 2017 World Men’s Hockey Championship in Germany, and France, and the 2018 World Men’s Hockey Championship in Denmark.
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