{"id":131776,"date":"2022-08-28T08:15:21","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T12:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=131776"},"modified":"2022-08-27T21:21:51","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T01:21:51","slug":"nhl-rumours-montreal-canadiens-edmonton-oilers-nearly-acquired-john-klingberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2022\/08\/28\/nhl-rumours-montreal-canadiens-edmonton-oilers-nearly-acquired-john-klingberg\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Rumours: Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers Nearly Acquired John Klingberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Dallas Stars<\/a> and current Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg<\/a>, per rumours, nearly landed in another uniform this summer. On his most recent \u201c32 Thoughts\u201d podcast, heralded NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet\u00a0walked listeners through what nearly took place. Per Friedman, a unique sign-and-trade scenario almost played out.<\/p>\n

NHL Rumours: Klingberg Linked to Habs, Oilers in Missed Deal<\/h2>\n

The Montreal Canadiens<\/a> planned to sign Klingberg and then immediately flip him to the Edmonton Oilers. That trade included salary retention to reduce Klingberg\u2019s cap hit in Edmonton. In return, the Habs would have received an asset to push the deal through. That asset, though, wasn\u2019t named (or perhaps, never came to fruition as Klingberg wound up in Anaheim).<\/p>\n

Obviously, Klingberg signed a one-year deal with the Ducks instead. Perhaps the delay in that contract, though, came partly from the Oilers and Habs talks. Rumours suggest that Klingberg may have received a longer deal if he inked with Montreal. Or, at the very least, he could\u2019ve started the year on a team closer to Cup contention in Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Klingberg Rumours – Oilers Interest<\/h3>\n

At the end of the day, the one-year contract Klingberg signed likely means he\u2019s a rental candidate this season. The Ducks signed him with full intentions to flip him by the trade deadline. Or, at least, that much is inferred.<\/p>\n

And based on this rumour, Edmonton jumps to the top of the list for Klingberg\u2019s potential mid-season destinations. If Montreal wanted to make this move to flip him to the Oilers, the Ducks might too. Especially if Edmonton offers enough, which seems very plausible now. If they were already willing to move assets for the defenceman this summer, when they could have signed him off the market directly, odds are, they\u2019ll still be willing. In fact, their willingness might increase slowly but surely as the trade deadline approaches.<\/p>\n

The Canadiens come out unscathed in all of this, though disappointed. They don\u2019t anticipate fielding a competitive team next season. Inking a short-term deal, eating part of that salary, and receiving a pick or prospect in return amounts to a win for them. Instead, Klingberg fired his agent, hired a new one, and signed in Anaheim, all in a 24-hour period. Clearly fed up with waiting, Klingberg acted fast once he changed agents. Montreal didn\u2019t lose anything technically, just missed an opportunity at a \u201cfree\u201d win. \u201cFree\u201d doesn\u2019t mean without cost (they would\u2019ve paid part of Klingberg\u2019s salary). But it does mean gaining an asset in exchange for nothing in their system today. All picks, prospects and roster players stay put.<\/p>\n

What this Suggests Going Forward<\/h3>\n

One way or another, don\u2019t expect to see Klingberg, 30, wrap this season with the Ducks. He comes off a particularly unproductive season by his own standards. That being said, he still posted 47 points from the blue line, including 41 assists. He owns 374 points in 552 career games, a well-known offensive defenceman that makes any team better around him. His 7.1% Corsi-for last year stood out on Dallas\u2019 blueline as well.<\/p>\n

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John Klingberg is now only the second defenseman in Dallas Stars history to record 50 assists in a season. The other is Sergei Zubov. #GoStars<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R9l1E1hFgD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 10, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n