John Klingberg, Dallas Stars Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction
The Dallas Stars have reached an agreement on a seven-year contract extension with defenseman John Klingberg. The new deal calls for an average salary of over $4 million. The team announced the move on Friday:
"Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has signed defenseman John Klingberg to a seven-year contract extension. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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"John is a very special player, possessing a creativity and skill level that few in this League can match," said Nill. "He fits in perfectly with where our core is at age-wise and his impact on our team was felt immediately. We expect him to build off of his rookie season and continue his development towards becoming an elite all-around defenseman."
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Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News broke the news and reports the terms have been finalized with an official announcement pending. He provided the full details of the long-term contract:
"The Stars have agreed to terms on a seven-year contract extension with defenseman John Klingberg that will average $4.2 million, according to a source.
The Stars could announce the deal as soon as today.
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Dallas drafted Klingberg in the fifth round of the 2010 draft. He didn't make his NHL debut until this season, but he made the transition with ease. The rookie sensation scored 40 points (11 goals and 29 assists) in 65 games.
The Swedish defender could have become a restricted free agent this offseason. Given his immediate success, he may have drawn offer-sheet interest from teams around the league. The Stars decided to lock him up before that could happen.
It's a deal that does come with some risk since his NHL track record is small. He will need to maintain or improve on this season's level of play to warrant his salary. But the fact that he had so much success at age 22 is obviously an encouraging sign.
Klingberg is now under contract with the Stars through the 2021-22 season.
