Former Maple Leafs Defenseman Set for Highly Anticipated Season Debut Against Toronto
The matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers on Saturday is going to be one filled with a lot of fireworks and sees a big return to the NHL.
The last time the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers squared off, it was a game filled with a lot of animosity and lead to Ryan Reaves' five game suspension for a hit on Darnell Nurse though the Leafs prevailed 4-3 in OT.
But things are going to look a bit different this time around and while the Oilers are looking for a bit of revenge, they will also hopefully get some help from a former Maple Leafs defenseman making his season debut.
John Klingberg Makes Season Debut After Free Agent Signing
When news hit that John Klingberg was making a return to the NHL after recovering from hip resurfacing surgery, several teams were in the running for the defenseman including his former teams Toronto and Dallas, as well as Edmonton who won the sweepstakes after a week or so of debate.
Having only played 14 games last season with the Maple Leafs but registering five assists, Klingberg has been working hard to get game-ready and is healthy enough to contribute once again.
Klingberg signed with the Maple Leafs last summer to a one-year, $4.15M deal which looked initially like it was going to be a steal, but he underwent surgery shortly thereafter. His last game played was November 11, 2023 in a win against the Vancouver Canucks.
At one time the NHL's most dynamic offensive defenseman, Klingberg has averaged 10 goals and 43 assists per 82-games over his 10-year career. He's a power play quarterback, eats minutes, and is one of the few defensemen in the League who could go end to end on his own without fear.
The knock on Klingberg has always been his defensive lapses, and while he can block a few shots and throw some hits, he's often caught out of position or lacking awareness of where opponents are.
He may have already made his debut for the Oilers, but has been delayed by visa issues which has prevented him from playing, though it's clear that's going to be resolved in time for Saturday.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch also commented on the situation:
We'll see how those two go, but rough estimate was sometime this week, and if we have to push it back to the following week when we're going on the road, playing back to back, maybe that's the time that he plays also."
It remains to be seen if Klingberg will make an impact for the Oilers or if they made a rash signing, but at least for the Swede; his debut will be in a place he's familiar with at least.
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