Oscar Klefbom, Oilers Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Just days after the Edmonton Oilers began training camp, they locked up Oscar Klefbom for the foreseeable future. On Sunday, the club announced it had signed its star defenseman to a seven-year contract extension, which will keep him in Edmonton until at least 2023. 

Klefbom, 22, was the Oilers' first-round pick in 2011 but has been slowly weaved into the lineup. He has appeared in only 77 games, totaling 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) while showing some promise on the defensive end. Craig Custance of ESPN reported the deal will have an average annual value of $4.167 million.

Because of its length and Klefbom's small sample of games played, the deal will undoubtedly be polarizing. Seven years is a long time for a player who doesn't even have a full season's worth of elite production in his past. It's also a solid salary number, which means the Oilers are obviously going all-in on locking up their young core.

"This is a major bet on a promising young defender, but a solid bet," wrote David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. "Klefbom is 22, with five years remaining before he’s an unrestricted free agent. So the Oilers bought UFA seasons. And they’ve also locked up a core player in the prime of his NHL career."

More than anything, the Oilers likely wanted to have a better idea of how their future looks. With top pick Connor McDavid in place and the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle all locked into long-term contracts, Edmonton has one of the NHL's best young cores.

Now, Klefbom will just have to prove he's actually worth the hype.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.