Five Players to keep an eye on for the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline
By Jim Lynch
John Klingberg
John Klingberg signed with the Anaheim Ducks this offseason on a one-year deal worth seven million. This came after the Dallas Stars did not offer Klingberg a good enough contract to keep him in Dallas.
Klingberg went to Anaheim this offseason after spending the first eight years and 552 games of his career with the Stars, the team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2010. For Klingberg, the opportunity to join the Ducks gave him a chance to bet on his success for the future.
Klingberg was only given a one-year deal this offseason. He is betting on himself that he can be a quarterback of a power play and be a top defenseman in Anaheim this season to secure a big contract down the line and possibly put him on a contending team this season.
The Anaheim Ducks are not going to be in a playoff spot this year. The team just is not there yet, and while Klingberg was a good addition this offseason, he could be worth more to them on the move near the deadline.
He currently has two assists in his first eight games with the Ducks so keep an eye on how he does the rest of the way. If a contending team is looking for extra help on the back end, adding Klingberg to your top four could be a good move, even if it is just as a rental till the end of the year.