The Edmonton Oilers have signed defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year contract.
The deal includes a pro-rated $1 million salary and $350,000 signing bonus for a $1.74 million cap hit, according to PuckPedia.
The 32-year-old hasn’t played since November 2023 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He underwent hip resurfacing surgery in December.
Klingberg rehabbed with the same medical team that helped Patrick Kane recover from an identical procedure in 2023.
Toronto, Ottawa, and Dallas also pursued Klingberg before he chose Edmonton.
The signing addresses the Oilers’ need for right-side defensive depth. Beyond Evan Bouchard, Edmonton’s right defense consists of Ty Emberson, Troy Stecher, and Josh Brown – each earning $1 million or less.
During his prime with Dallas, Klingberg emerged as an offensive force from the blue line. He twice finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting, including 2017-18 when he posted a career-best 67 points.
He showed his playoff capabilities during Dallas’ 2020 Stanley Cup Final run, recording 21 points in 26 games.
Recent seasons have proven challenging defensively. Over his last three campaigns with Dallas, Anaheim, Minnesota, and Toronto, Klingberg registered a minus-60 rating in 155 games.
In his brief 14-game stint with Toronto this season, he recorded five assists and a minus-7 rating before surgery.
