John Klingberg signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 29-year-old defenseman had 47 points (six goals, 41 assists) in 74 regular-season games for the Dallas Stars and one assist in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games last season.
“We are extremely excited to add John to our group,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. “John is a gifted player who can quarterback a power play and give us needed scoring from the blueline. He also adds veteran leadership and character to our team.”
Of Klingberg’s 374 NHL points, 148 have come on the power play (39.6 percent). Anaheim ranked 14th with the man advantage last season (21.9 percent), but was last in 2020-21 (8.9 percent) and 30th in 2019-20 (14.7 percent).
The Ducks are also hoping Klingberg can boost an offense which ranked 24th in scoring last season (2.78 goals per game) after ranking last in 2020-21 (2.21), 29th in 2019-20 (2.56) and last in 2018-19 (2.39). ).
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Klingberg said May 17 he wanted to remain with the Stars, where he spent eight seasons. He previously said he felt underappreciated by their lack of contract talks.
“At the end of the day, I always want to stay here,” Klingberg said. “This is the only team I’ve been talking to, obviously. With [Stars general manager Jim Nill], and on our side, we’ve been trying to find different ways to get it done. Year length, money-wise, just trying to get something we’re both happy with.”
Selected by Dallas in the fifth round (No. 131) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Klingberg has 71 goals, and 303 assists in 552 regular-season games and 35 points (seven goals, 28 assists) in 55 playoff games.
“I’d love to keep him,” Nill said May 7. “But he’s got to look out for himself too, so I fully understand that. So we’ll see if we can figure something out.”
The Ducks (31-37-14) finished seventh in the Pacific Division last season and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight season. They signed forwards Ryan Strome (five years) and Frank Vatrano (three years) to free agent contracts on July 13.
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