Recent John Klingberg sighting sparks speculation of Maple Leafs reunion
John Klingberg's tenure with the Maple Leafs was a major disappointment, but now there may be a chance we see him return to Toronto next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have improved in a big way under Brad Treliving, but one major misstep he made was signing John Klingberg to a one-year deal in the summer of 2023. In his only season with Toronto, the veteran defenseman played in just 14 games due to lingering injury issues, and while he had five assists in that span, he was also -7 and didn't play for the team after that.
With the additions of Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jani Hakanpaa this off-season, it stands to reason that Klingberg's time in Toronto would be over, but that may no longer be the case as a recent post from a current Maple Leaf raised eyebrows among Leafs fans.
On social media, the partner of Pontus Holmberg posted a photo of the pair hanging out with John Klingberg, with his presence around former teammates and the setup suggesting that he may still have the right connections in Toronto, and that after being handed a deal by Brad Treliving, the GM may want him around again to give him a chance at a fully healthy season.
With Jani Hakanpaa's deal still up in the air, Klingberg's connection to Holmberg and his presence may lead to renewed conversations between the Maple Leafs and Klingberg, with a potential depth role at the minimum being the best chance he'll get to play in the NHL this season.
While 2023/24 was an injury riddled year for Klingberg, he has played in 141 games over the last two seasons, and with a combined 80 points in that stretch, he has proven that he can still play at a very high level. Unfortunately for the 31-year old, he won't be seeing $4.125 million on any deal this summer, but with time to turn his career around, this may be the best opportunity for a one-year 'prove it' deal with Toronto at the league minimum.
It's been a while since we've seen that Klingberg at his offensive best, but with the Maple Leafs blue line reportedly shaking out like this, according to Daily Faceoff, he could have a role as the extra defenseman this season.
Ekman-Larsson-Liljegren
Benoit-McCabe
It's unclear what the league wide interest in Klingberg is, so he could head into the season as a free agent, but with injuries potentially piling up at any point, he's a perfect candidate for a league minimum, and given how key their blue line is to their success, there's no better fit than Toronto.
Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Recent photo may indicate that John Klingberg is still on the Maple Leafs' radar
Source: Hockey DB
John Klingberg stats
| POLL | ||
Would signing John Klingberg to the minimum be a good move for Brad Treliving? | ||
| Yes | 176 | 54.8 % |
| No | 145 | 45.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
