John Klingberg may have altered Stan Bowman's deadline plans
It's no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are rumoured to be adding a top-4 defenceman at the trade deadline, but newly acquired John Klingberg has potentially forced Stan Blowman to deviate from his original plan.
It was recently announced that the Edmonton Oilers signed defenceman John Klingberg to 1 year pro-rated contract worth $1 million, including a $350k signing bonus -- a fairly low risk high reward situation.
The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since the new year, and Klingberg's addition adds another element to their dominance.
If Klingberg manages to find his old form, GM Stan Bowman might be able to use his money elsewhere at the trade deadline.
Oilers may not add a top-4 defenceman at the trade deadline
Let's face it, John Klingberg is a total wild card. He's coming off double hip surgery, a procedure notoriously difficult to come back from.
Furthermore, he's experienced a significant decline in performance the past few years, so fans aren't entirely what sure what they're getting despite the massive chip on his shoulder.
However, the veteran defenceman does have the ability to surprise. If Klingberg manages to strike the perfect balance of performance and chemistry on the Oilers blue-line, Stan Bowman's trade deadline just got a whole lot juicier.
According to Bob Stauffer, the Oilers plan to give Klingberg a trial run leading up the the trade deadline.
According to Ryan Hall of Oilers Daily, n the flip side, there's a possibility that Klingberg may not workout the way they hope and the team has put contingencies in his contract. The Oilers gave him a $1 million prorated deal for one season which is an absolute bargain for the team considering what they could be getting in his abilities.
Oilers preparing to acquire top four defenseman even with Klingberg
-Ryan Hall
Regardless, Klingberg's deal offers very little risk, and it should be interesting to see how these next few weeks shake out in Oil Country.
