Ryan S. ClarkNHL reporter3 Minute Read
The Minnesota Wild have reportedly landed defenseman John Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks in a deal that obtained accomplished simply earlier than the deadline Friday.
The Ducks will obtain defenseman Andrej Sustr, the rights to ahead Nikita Nesterenko and a fourth-round decide in 2025. Anaheim retains 50% of Klingberg’s remaining wage this 12 months.
The Wild additionally added some dimension up entrance, buying heart Oskar Sundqvist from the Detroit Red Wings for a fourth-round choice this summer time. The 6-foot-3 Sundqvist, 28, had seven objectives and 21 factors for Detroit this season and gained a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2018.
In Klingberg, the Wild get a defenseman they might use both of their high 4 or high six. One of Klingberg’s strengths is his capacity to facilitate an influence play, which has been one thing of an issue space for him this season. In his ultimate season with the Dallas Stars, Klingberg completed with 20 factors on the additional skater benefit. This 12 months, he has six power-play factors by way of 50 video games on what’s the worst power-play unit within the league, with a 15.6% success charge. The Wild, nevertheless, have the No. 10 energy play within the NHL with a 22.9% success charge.
Getting Klingberg and reinforcing their blue line comes because the Wild are among the many many Western Conference groups attempting to solidify their playoff spot. The Wild are three factors behind the Dallas Stars for the Central Division lead and one of the best report within the Western Conference. That stated, the Wild are additionally two factors forward of the Edmonton Oilers for the primary wild-card spot and 4 forward of the Winnipeg Jets for the final wild-card spot.
Klingberg’s time in Southern California lasted lower than a season after he signed a one-year “show it” deal value $7 million with the Ducks. The expectation was that Klingberg may assist the Ducks proceed the progress they made final season, after they completed 31-37-14 and at one level appeared in competition for a wild-card spot. The Ducks may additionally doubtlessly transfer him within the occasion the season went within the different route.
Anaheim has been porous defensively this season, and Klingberg’s statistics present that to a sure extent. But his puck-moving capacity and playoff expertise with the Stars probably piqued contenders’ curiosity because the commerce deadline neared. Klingberg has eight objectives and 24 factors however was a minus-28 on a group that always discovered itself trailing.
But the native of Gothenburg, Sweden, has a a lot bigger physique of labor on his résumé. In 9 NHL seasons, Klingberg reached double digits in objectives 4 instances. And within the 2019-20 marketing campaign interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Klingberg had 10 objectives and 45 factors within the common season earlier than serving to lead Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final within the postseason bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.
Klingberg has been among the many high minute-getters on his group almost each season he has been within the NHL. Through the All-Star break this season, he held a profession time-on-ice common of twenty-two:49. And in 2017-18 with Dallas, he averaged 24:04.
The Ducks entered Friday as one of many groups within the working to win the NHL draft lottery and the correct to take presumed No. 1 decide Connor Bedard. Anaheim has the third-fewest factors within the NHL and is 2 factors away from the Columbus Blue Jackets for the fewest factors within the league.
