It's not often that a player passes on his first real opportunity to play in the NHL, but Klingberg did just that. It might have been the best move he ever made.
Feeling he needed more seasoning to compete consistently at the NHL level, Klingberg remained in his native Sweden for the 2013-14 season. He responded with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) and a plus-8 rating in 50 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League.
It's not often that a player passes on his first real opportunity to play in the NHL, but Klingberg did just that. It might have been the best move he ever made.
Feeling he needed more seasoning to compete consistently at the NHL level, Klingberg remained in his native Sweden for the 2013-14 season. He responded with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) and a plus-8 rating in 50 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League.
Klingberg then went to North America for the 2014-15 season and had a big impact. The native of Gothenburg, Sweden, who was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round (No. 131) of the 2010 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut Nov. 11, 2014. He scored his first NHL goal nine days later. Both games were against the Arizona Coyotes. Klingberg led Stars defensemen, and NHL rookies at the position, with 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 65 games in 2014-15. He finished fifth in the Calder Trophy voting for NHL rookie of the year and signed a seven-year contract April 17, 2015.
A steady point producer, Klingberg played in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2018. He scored the series-winning goal in overtime against the Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the 2019 Western Conference First Round and scored 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 26 games during the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- NHL All-Rookie Team (2015)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (2018)
- Signed as a free agent by Frolunda (Sweden), May 20, 2013.
