Leafs sign one of the top offensive defensemen on the free agent market
The Leafs were largely very quiet on day one of free agency, watching a number of their own UFAs depart for what they hope are greener pastures. Meanwhile, the Leafs had signed only Ryan Reaves, a projected 4th liner, and William Lagesson, a projected AHL defenseman.
Well, it would appear as though Brad Treliving wasn't satisfied with remaining on the sidelines for long, as he has made a significant splash, landing one of the top offensive defensemen available on the UFA market in John Klingberg.
There are some concerns regarding Klingberg's play on the defensive side of the puck, but the Leafs have long lacked another option beyond Morgan Rielly who can distribute the puck well and contribute on the power play.
Klingberg played just 67 games last season, split between the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild, racking up 10 goals and 33 points. It was the 5th time in his 9-year NHL career where Klingberg had tallied double-digit goal totals.
The deal for Klingberg is a 1-year deal, and we're currently awaiting confirmation on his salary.
**Update - salary expectation is above $4M, but likely below $4.5M, per Darren Dreger**
***Update - $4.15M cap hit, per Friedman, Johnston***
