Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign RHD John Klingberg (1 year, $4.15M) | UPD 11/23: LTIR

[TimeZone]

This signing also takes us out of the Bertuzzi sweepstakes.

Good stuff

 

[ULF_55]

If he can skate, that's already an improvement on the RD.

Can he skate?

 

[DarkKnight]

I’m done.

 

[KaN19]

Guy is going to make so many boneheaded plays in our own zone that result in goals against. He will quickly become a Gardiner-tier scapegoat.

 

[phillipmike]

You trust Klingberg in your top 4?

More than I trust Gustafsson. And Holl, Gio and maybe if Liljegren for 82 games.

If you prorate Klingberg’s numbers to 82 games;

Anaheim:
39 points
-46
3.4 Point Share

Minny:
44 points
+15
8.2 Point Share

For comparison sake here is Rielly;
52 points
-11
6.7

I don’t expect Klingberg to be better than Rielly but he can easily be better than Brodie, McCabe, Liljegren, Giordano and others who aren’t with the team who played in the top 4; Schenn and Holl

 

[Kelly]

I know there is a shit load of off-season left, but holy f*** this has been a disastrous day for our buds.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

Another defenseman who can't defend - the Leafs specialty. It's a 1 year deal though and you can flip him if he puts up some massive point totals.

Our D actually sucked at scoring last years

 

[justashadowof]

You trust Klingberg in your top 4?

That's where he's played his entire NHL career.

 

[Menzinger]

He's definitely not what the team needed.

I'll at least give Tre credit that the 1 year of term is good - this at least has the potential for a nice reclamation project/rebound deal.

He's pretty dreadful at actually defending through....

 

[ULF_55]

Guy is going to make so many boneheaded plays in our own zone that result in goals against. He will quickly become a Gardiner-tier scapegoat.

You mean, "marner backhands the puck into his own zone while under pressure to Klingberg who's headed off the ice on a line change."

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Honestly not sure you could right up a script where day 1 of free agency goes much worse lol

 

[Da Mash]

Can we beg for Dubas to come back….please

Overpaid for a enforcer who is 37 and a liability on the ice and now paying over 4 mil for a guy who is as bad defensively or worse then Holl

Not a good day for sure

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

Tre has made some poor moves so far.

 

[TimeZone]

One year.

Not dissimilar to the Orlov deal.

Except Orlov is 10x the D Klingberg is.

 

[hamzarocks]

He's definitely not what the team needed.

I'll at least give Tre an credit that the 1 year of term is good - this at least has the potential for a nice reclamation project/rebound deal.

He's pretty dreadful at actually defending through....

We cant have every D be a heavy and gritty defensive D

Rielly/klinberg are mostly OFD though rielly isnt as bad defensively as K-berg

Lilijgren and Brodie are somewhat transitioning and good defenders

McCabe has physcality and we need to add 1 more D that brings this

I think we bring in Zadorov which is a bit meh. Ideally add Oleksiak there as he has size and some physicality

 

[Gabriel426]

For someone who got a 4th rounder at TDL, how the f do you even offer him a 4mil contract. We are not the Hawks.
How did this conversation even start, did Treliving call and ask if he is wants to come to the Leafs for 4.25mil? Like why would you even ask that.

 

[Apotheosis]

He's definitely not what the team needed.

I'll at least give Tre credit that the 1 year of term is good - this at least has the potential for a nice reclamation project/rebound deal.

He's pretty dreadful at actually defending through....

Disagreed. Leafs movement from the back was atrocious and Florida ate that up. Rielly is the only threat for good puck movement and Lily when he gets playing time but you need at least half your blue line able to legitimately move the puck.

 

[Kalaish26]

Great, I guess this leaves us out of other notable free agents that are left with still having Sammy to resign. Hire an experienced GM they said smh

 

[GoonieFace]

Can we beg for Dubas to come back….please

Overpaid for a enforcer who is 37 and a liability on the ice and now paying over 4 mil for a guy who is as bad defensively or worse then Holl

Not a good day for sure

Let’s bring Dubas back, Maybe we can pay a garbage injury prone goalie 5.75mil/year for 5 years or give a average dman a 6 year contract

 

[Rare Jewel]

The whole team got caved sure, but Klingberg was by far the worst. By far.

Yep, that'll will happen when you play the most (aside from Fowler).

It'll be interesting to see how they use him.

.

 

[ULF_55]

Honestly not sure you could right up a script where day 1 of free agency goes much worse lol

It's kind of refreshing.

Looking around at what other GM's (or acting GM's) did today and see the differences.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Seems like a poor signing. Definitely not a disaster but disappointing at the aav and not immediately obvious that he fits any sort of need.

 

[justashadowof]

This is what happens on free agent day when you've been rebuffed by the better options. It's not like there are a slew of defense prospects knocking on the door. The Leafs needed an NHL defender capable of playing 20+ minutes a night on the right side. This is better than Justin Holl at $3.4M aav for 3 years with a M-NTC to boot.

 

[BertCorbeau]

And Rielly will still QB the top PP unit because coaching

 

[Taylor26]

Dude is a double edeged sword. Liked him for the Minnesota Wild back half of the year but for every good offensive play he makes he will make 3 or 4 defensive lapses. IF and that is a big if you can reign him in a little he could be ok, but at this point he kind of is what he is.