John Klingberg spotted with a Maple Leafs player: return to team possible

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Daniel Lucente
August 11, 2024 (5:39 PM)

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John Klingberg's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs didn't go as planned last season, however it appears he may be returning to the team for a second chance.

Last year's signing of John Klingberg by GM Brad Treliving didn't go as planned, but luckily it was just a one-year deal. The veteran defenseman only played in 14 games for the team due to nagging injuries, and in those 14 games, he had only five assists and no goals. He was also not good in the plus/minus department, finishing at -7.

Now that the Leafs have signed Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jani Hakanpaa this off-season, it appears that there would be no more room for Klingberg if he were to be interested in returning to the club. However, a recent post involving a current player of the Maple Leafs has sparked speculation.

Pontus Holmberg's partner posted a photo on social media showing Pontus and John Klingberg hanging out together, which led to rumors flying that Klingberg would be returning to Toronto. GM Brad Treliving may want to prove the haters wrong and possibly give Klingberg a second chance with the team now that he's healthy, as an uninjured John Klingberg is normally a very good player.

Now that the Jani Hakanpaa situation is still up in the air due to a failed physical, perhaps GM Brad Treliving circles back and tries to run it back one more time with John Klingberg. He would fill in quite nicely as a depth defenseman if he were to remain healthy.

Over the previous two years before he got injured with the Leafs, John Klingberg managed to play in 141 games and accumulated 80 points, which proves he can get the job done. Klingberg is only 31 and likely won't be signed to the type of money the Leafs threw at him last year when they gave him $4.125 million. Perhaps signing a league minimum deal could work for both sides.

Just because he was spotted hanging out with a Leafs player doesn't mean he'll be immediately signed, as it's possible John Klingberg remains unsigned heading into the season. One thing's for sure, a healthy John Klingberg means that his agent will be getting a lot of phone calls, either from the Leafs and/or other teams.

Source: Hockey Patrol
Recent John Klingberg sighting sparks speculation of Maple Leafs reunion

Source: HockeyDB
John Klingberg Stats