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 move he ever made.

Confident he was ready to make the jump to the NHL but certain he needed more seasoning to compete consistently in hockey's top league, Klingberg opted to return to 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 came to North America for the 2014-15 season and led Dallas Stars defensemen in scoring with 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 65 games, finishing fifth in the Calder Trophy voting for NHL Rookie of the Year. He signed a seven-year contract extension on April 17, 2015.

In 2015-16, Klingberg improved to 58 points (10 goals, 48 assists), fifth among NHL defensemen, and went from plus-5 to a team-high plus-22 rating. After a 13-goal, 49-point season in 2016-17, Klingberg had an NHL career-high 67 points (eight goals, 59 assists) in 82 games in 2017-18. He tied Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks for second in scoring among NHL defenseman, one point behind John Carlson of the Washington Capitals.

The Stars selected Klingberg, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, in the fifth round (No. 131) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut on Nov. 11, 2014 and scored his first goal on Nov. 20, 2014. Both games were against the Arizona Coyotes.

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.