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5 Questions with The Sporting Tribune’s Derek Lee ahead of Kings-Ducks matchup

By Cameron Franck

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 20: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates a goal with Anze Kopitar #11 and Kevin Fiala #22 against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Crypto.com Arena on December 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 20: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates a goal with Anze Kopitar #11 and Kevin Fiala #22 against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Crypto.com Arena on December 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Question No. 4: John Klingberg signed a 1-year deal to play in Anaheim last offseason in what I assume to be not what he had hoped for, but the market for him seemed to crash. Was he always someone they were going to deal at the deadline, or was his play on the ice trending him that way?

"A: “The minute Klingberg signed that deal, the plan was always going to be to deal him at the deadline. The only way I think there would have been a possibility of keeping him around is if the Ducks somehow made a Kraken-esque run to the playoffs and Klingberg was at the forefront of it. The initial deal that sent him to Minnesota felt slightly underwhelming, but I think the play of Nikita Nesterenko has eased concerns for the time being.”"

Prior to signing a one-year deal with the Ducks, defenseman John Klingberg was, reportedly, offered an eight-year contract extension with the Dallas Stars that was worth an average annual value of $7 million dollars a year. The only reason he didn’t accept that offer was that he was firm on not taking anything less than $8 million dollars AAV.

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: John Klingberg #3 of the Anaheim Ducks skates with the puck during the third period of a game against the New Jersey Devils at Honda Center on January 13, 2023, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: John Klingberg #3 of the Anaheim Ducks skates with the puck during the third period of a game against the New Jersey Devils at Honda Center on January 13, 2023, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Once he turned that down, the market for his services was not what he anticipated as he ended up settling for a one-year contract with Anaheim for $7 million dollars. According to Derek Lee, the intent of the Ducks’ front office was never to keep him on the roster all season.

After half a year of John Klingberg, the Ducks sent him to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Andrej Sustr, a 2025 fourth-round pick, and the rights to prospect Nikita Nesterenko. To help make the deal work financially, Anaheim retained 50 percent of Klingberg’s $7 million salary in the deal.

Seems like John Klingberg bet on himself, and it didn’t pay off financially but worked out well for Anaheim. The best-case scenario for him is that he re-signs in Minnesota on a multi-year deal.

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