Oilers Extend Oscar Klefbom

Finally, we heard news about Oscar Klefbom and his contract situation on Saturday. After a summer filled with debate surrounding Klefbom and a possible contract extension, the Oilers finally pulled the trigger by signing him to a seven year contract extension.

The deal is expected to be finalized within the next 24-48 hours, and it was first reported by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. Craig Custance chimed in later on, reporting that Klefbom will carry a cap hit of $4.167 million per season.

Thoughts:

Personally, I love this move by Peter Chiarelli and the Oilers. Klefbom is a good young defender, and will no doubt be part of the core moving forward. Projecting things forward, Klefbom will for sure be a top-four defender in this league, and possibly a top-pairing option as he hits his prime.

In fact, one could argue that Klefbom is a top-four defender already with the Oilers. I certainly won’t dispute that point, I think Klefbom is the second or third best option on the roster already.

Here’s the thing, Klefbom is a key part of the future in Edmonton. The Oilers will have Andrej Sekera for the long haul, and will need three other defenders to emerge. Klefbom, along with Griffin Reinhart and Darnell Nurse, is one of the candidates.

If Klefbom can pan out, then Edmonton will be a much better team moving forward, defenders can have that kind of impact.

As for the money, how can you complain about this? Seven years for a top-four, potentially top-pairing, defender is pretty good. Klefbom will have some of the best years of his career during this contract. The dollar amount is really, really good for Edmonton.

Just over $4.1 million a year is a steal for a top-four defender. If Oscar Klefbom plays to his potential during this contract, and I expect he will, then this becomes a massive value contract for the Edmonton Oilers. Keep this in mind, Nikita Nikitin is making $4.5 million per season and he is not nearly as good as Klefbom.

The Scouting Report:

We know what kind of player Klefbom is, but in case you forgot over the summer, here’s his scouting report from The Hockey News.

Assets:	Owns massive shutdown upside, thanks largely to great size (6-3, 204 pounds), a physical edge to his game and mobility. Also possesses a little puck-moving and offensive potential.
Flaws:	Will at times play a reckless game, which can lead to mistakes and also injuries. His offensive game isn’t first-rate, so his bread will be one because of his defensive work in the NHL.
Career Potential:	Talented shutdown defenseman with good upside.