Maple Leafs sign Klingberg to 1-year, $4.15M deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed veteran rearguard John Klingberg to a one-year contract worth $4.15 million, the team announced.

Klingberg hit the free-agent market for the second consecutive summer after inking a one-year, $7-million pact with the Anaheim Ducks in 2022. He was dealt to the Minnesota Wild prior to the trade deadline for Andrej Sustr, Nikita Nesterenko, and a fourth-round pick in 2025.

Klingberg managed 33 points in 67 total games this past campaign while averaging over 20 minutes per night. The soon-to-be 31-year-old has been a strong offensive contributor for much of his nine-year career, but his defensive impact in recent seasons leave much to be desired.

Toronto had a hole to fill on the right side of its blue line after losing Justin Holl to the Detroit Red Wings earlier Saturday.

Klingberg has recorded 407 points in 619 career games and earned Norris Trophy votes in 2015-16 and 2017-18.

(Advance stats source: Evolving-Hockey)

Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.