Player Discussion The Klingberg Conundrum (Re-Sign/Trade/Lose to FA)

[BG44]

Forgive me if I misjudged this, but this felt like a topic worthy of its own thread, and Pierre LeBrun commented on it today.

John Klingberg, Dallas Stars:

There has been good and constant dialogue this offseason between Klingberg’s camp and the Stars, I’m told, but obviously still no extension. But I do think there’s enough goodwill here based on the talks that have transpired that eventually this season both sides narrow the gap and find a deal that works. I’m betting he re-signs and it’s a deal that pops up out of nowhere in December/January. But there’s certainly work to be done. As noted with Rielly above, the upper end of the UFA D class had a good summer and I believe that’s had an impact on talks between Klingberg and the Stars, and how could it not? But I still think this is a deal that eventually gets done.

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LeBrun: Which high-profile pending UFAs could sign extensions early this season?

I think that while this hasn't been a major topic discussion during camp, it's a pretty important thing to monitor during the season.

Click to read more...

 

[Smelling Salt]

I love me some K-Mart but 8 million or whatever it ends up at is too much. Not the AAV in general, it's just too much for THIS team going forward.

Seems like the team is gonna be in a weird position next season. Like, they don't look like a playoff team with some of the guys like Rads/Pavs likely leaving (or just being older and less effective if they stay). Which means you are probably gonna need an influx of kids which is good, but then you are looking at the undesirable mix of green, unproven kids and a few dudes who are noticeably regressing getting overpaid for a bunch more years based on accomplishments in their primes. Robo will need a raise, the goaltending situation will still be WTF, etc

 

[Satan]

I think if Klingberg returns to his normal 50+ point self, you have to push to extend him. I think this is a situation where a longer contract would reduce his AAV below 8-9M.

 

[Kcb12345]

No to anything over $8m for long term

 

[BG44]

I think him re-signing or walking via free agency are the two most realistic scenarios at this point. I'll say this, if he's traded, I'll be shocked if Jim Nill is the GM when that happens. The only legitimate way I can imagine Klingberg being traded at this point is a terrible start to the season and people getting fired.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I'm against term, so if we're doing something like 8Mx5, then I'm good. If I'm Klingberg, I demand max term or I walk. Love Klingberg, but firmly believe he should be traded for assets. This team isn't winning a cup this year, Klingberg has to go and it's time to recycle some of these older assets into picks, prospects, young players, etc. that can help the team. This should have been done in the summer, IMO.

Klingberg is my favorite player on the team, so this sucks to say, but there's no point in doubling down on guys who are firmly outside the age range of guys like Hintz, Heiskanen, Robertson, etc. It's a waste of time and will just prolong this cycle of mediocrity, even if he does bounce back. If you don't enjoy the Benn contract, I can't understand how you would want to give Klingberg 8x7 or 8x8 or something, it's a guaranteed disaster. If we're lucky, it's only a disaster for a couple of years, if we're unlucky, he ages like Benn has and it's untenable long, long before it expires and ruins your next cup window the way the Benn and Seguin deals (Faksa, Lindell, etc.) are sinking this one.

He's going to get re-signed or walk for nothing, though. I'm gonna be so pissed if Nill signs him long term and then gets fired.

 

[BfantZ]

I'm against term, so if we're doing something like 8Mx5, then I'm good. If I'm Klingberg, I demand max term or I walk. Love Klingberg, but firmly believe he should be traded for assets. This team isn't winning a cup this year, Klingberg has to go and it's time to recycle some of these older assets into picks, prospects, young players, etc. that can help the team. This should have been done in the summer, IMO.

Klingberg is my favorite player on the team, so this sucks to say, but there's no point in doubling down on guys who are firmly outside the age range of guys like Hintz, Heiskanen, Robertson, etc. It's a waste of time and will just prolong this cycle of mediocrity, even if he does bounce back. If you don't enjoy the Benn contract, I can't understand how you would want to give Klingberg 8x7 or 8x8 or something, it's a guaranteed disaster. If we're lucky, it's only a disaster for a couple of years, if we're unlucky, he ages like Benn has and it's untenable long, long before it expires and ruins your next cup window the way the Benn and Seguin deals (Faksa, Lindell, etc.) are sinking this one.

He's going to get re-signed or walk for nothing, though. I'm gonna be so pissed if Nill signs him long term and then gets fired.

I think we will re sign him for 6x8.5 or so and I won’t be disappointed. He is a guy who should be be a top pair or at very least a top 4 defenseman into his late 30’s . I don’t think that contract would handcuff them too much .

 

[David Castillo]

I think him re-signing or walking via free agency are the two most realistic scenarios at this point. I'll say this, if he's traded, I'll be shocked if Jim Nill is the GM when that happens. The only legitimate way I can imagine Klingberg being traded at this point is a terrible start to the season and people getting fired.

I think the biggest worry is term - especially with the Seguin and Benn contracts already being trash in proportion to their production. But you could argue the bigger worry is that nobody can do what Klingberg does. Heiskanen is great, but I don't think his vision is as sharp (certainly not on the PP). And Klingberg is a clutch performer to top it off. Dude was great against Tampa. Nothing about Harley's game (which I like) indicates Klingberg is in danger of being "redundant." Because of all that you don't start with 'how do we move Klingberg?' but with 'how do we move others to make keeping Klingberg work?' I'd definitely start with shedding Lindell's dogs--t contract. Dudes next to the studs should be paid Rutta/Cernak/Methot money. Not Slavin/Theodore/Pelech money.

 

[JesusNPucks]

The Benn, Seguin, and Lindell contracts make Klingberg not a possibility anymore, unless he took the Lindell contract—which won’t happen. Just go for a Cup and move on from him after the season.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

Trade him at the deadline when the Stars are outside of a playoff spot.

 

[eartotheground]

he doesn't play they style of game that gets him beat up, should stay at a high level for some time.

 

[ZeHockeyFan]

I'm against term, so if we're doing something like 8Mx5, then I'm good. If I'm Klingberg, I demand max term or I walk. Love Klingberg, but firmly believe he should be traded for assets. This team isn't winning a cup this year, Klingberg has to go and it's time to recycle some of these older assets into picks, prospects, young players, etc. that can help the team. This should have been done in the summer, IMO.

Klingberg is my favorite player on the team, so this sucks to say, but there's no point in doubling down on guys who are firmly outside the age range of guys like Hintz, Heiskanen, Robertson, etc. It's a waste of time and will just prolong this cycle of mediocrity, even if he does bounce back. If you don't enjoy the Benn contract, I can't understand how you would want to give Klingberg 8x7 or 8x8 or something, it's a guaranteed disaster. If we're lucky, it's only a disaster for a couple of years, if we're unlucky, he ages like Benn has and it's untenable long, long before it expires and ruins your next cup window the way the Benn and Seguin deals (Faksa, Lindell, etc.) are sinking this one.

He's going to get re-signed or walk for nothing, though. I'm gonna be so pissed if Nill signs him long term and then gets fired.

He already took a discount once. He is likely not taking another one.

 

[serp]

I think the issue is how will that work with the Robertson and Gurianov extensions coming up and Radulov and Pavelski maybe looking for another shorter term deal too.

Some of the UFA's are not coming back no matter what because the RFA's are getting big raises. Roope will be looking for a big payday the year after as well.

Will Klingberg be one of those not returning ? Dunno but he very much will be super extensive whoever gives him his next deal.

 

[93Crazed101]

He already took a discount once. He is likely not taking another one.

Eh. He took term over AAV when he signed that deal. It turned out to be a great deal for the stars, but that was far from guaranteed at the time.

 

[Captain Awesome]

He already took a discount once. He is likely not taking another one.

Just so we are clear, that's my exact thinking as well. He's going to be asking for 7-8 years, and he won't want less than Heiskanen IMO. I won't be surprised if we're sitting here waiting to see what happens during the week before UFA opens so he can get an idea of what he's worth and what kind of term he can get. I'd much rather he walk for nothing than give him more than 5 years at this point, and considering that he hasn't been great recently, that would be assuming that he bounces back a bit this year. I'd readily blame Bowness over Klingberg himself, but I wouldn't risk giving him a massive deal on that gamble.

Eh. He took term over AAV when he signed that deal. It turned out to be a great deal for the stars, but that was far from guaranteed at the time.

Even if this is true, it is very clearly a discount in hindsight. He's going to want to get paid, and rightfully so at this point. He's at an age where it's time to cash in while he's still on the right side of 30.

 

[ZeHockeyFan]

Just so we are clear, that's my exact thinking as well. He's going to be asking for 7-8 years, and he won't want less than Heiskanen IMO. I won't be surprised if we're sitting here waiting to see what happens during the week before UFA opens so he can get an idea of what he's worth and what kind of term he can get. I'd much rather he walk for nothing than give him more than 5 years at this point, and considering that he hasn't been great recently, that would be assuming that he bounces back a bit this year. I'd readily blame Bowness over Klingberg himself, but I wouldn't risk giving him a massive deal on that gamble.



Even if this is true, it is very clearly a discount in hindsight. He's going to want to get paid, and rightfully so at this point. He's at an age where it's time to cash in while he's still on the right side of 30.

Oh, I am agreeing with you...wholeheartedly. It was a heck of a bargain deal, regardless of him choosing "term over $$" (as stated by 93Crazed)

 

[M88K]

Re-sign him and ship out Lindell.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Not that this would be impossible, but with Lindell's NTC officially kicking in, if they were going to trade Lindell, they would have done it during the batshit crazy hot D-man market of this last off season. I want to visit the universe where Lindell and Klingberg were both shipped out to see the princely sums they returned, but we'll never really know what either could have gone for.

 

[Troy McClure]

This is going to be a problem where watching him leave (via trade or free agency) will hurt a lot because there's no one on the team who can do what he does. It'll leave a huge hole. And you're letting this hole open up all because there are already a couple of massive underperforming contracts on the books. Those bad decisions are still hurting you by forcing you to make this bad decision.

 

[eartotheground]

This is going to be a problem where watching him leave (via trade or free agency) will hurt a lot because there's no one on the team who can do what he does. It'll leave a huge hole. And you're letting this hole open up all because there are already a couple of massive underperforming contracts on the books. Those bad decisions are still hurting you by forcing you to make this bad decision.

the hope is that harley can take that role, yes? or maybe a young fwd or two step up and give you freedom to free up cap space there to resign klinger. too soon to fret over losing him, methinks.

 

[Troy McClure]

the hope is that harley can take that role, yes? or maybe a young fwd or two step up and give you freedom to free up cap space there to resign klinger. too soon to fret over losing him, methinks.

We'd love to hope Harley can provide offense at the NHL level, but that's part of the conundrum because Harley will probably spend the whole season in the AHL. The Stars are going to approach the trade deadline having to make a decision without a whole lot of limitations on knowing whether their next man up can do the job.

Of course, it would help a lot if Heiskanen takes a step up with his offensive game to show his three week hot streak in the bubble wasn't just a hot streak.

 

[JesusNPucks]

Nothing over $7M AAV. It’s a bargain, but it’s all Dallas can afford long term. If Hintz lights it up this season, his next contract is gonna be pretty big.

 

[BrettHullsToe]

This is going to be a problem where watching him leave (via trade or free agency) will hurt a lot because there's no one on the team who can do what he does. It'll leave a huge hole. And you're letting this hole open up all because there are already a couple of massive underperforming contracts on the books. Those bad decisions are still hurting you by forcing you to make this bad decision.

Funny thing is, that reasoning is pretty much why Benn and Seguin had to be re-signed - can't let them leave or it will leave a huge hole that no one at the time could fill.

Klingberg has sustained enough injuries that he too could be under performing pretty quickly, in particular the hand injury he needed surgery for could develop arthritis and wreck his passing, shooting and stick handling. But maybe not, maybe he'll be good for years to come . Glad I'm not the GM.

 

[Ghost of Kyiv]

Importance to the current roster and whether you have an heir should be a secondary concern. How he'll age is the most important question.

 

[Troy McClure]

Funny thing is, that reasoning is pretty much why Benn and Seguin had to be re-signed - can't let them leave or it will leave a huge hole that no one at the time could fill.

Klingberg has sustained enough injuries that he too could be under performing pretty quickly, in particular the hand injury he needed surgery for could develop arthritis and wreck his passing, shooting and stick handling. But maybe not, maybe he'll be good for years to come . Glad I'm not the GM.

Oh, being a GM sucks. There’s a reason why we get a lot of fans and media types eager to say they’d never give a late 20s guy an eight year deal, but virtually no GM operates that way. Carolina refusing to offer a serious bid for Hamilton was a very very rare exception. GMs work their tails off hoping to acquire these big name players, and they hate losing them because they know how hard it is to replace them.

I don’t even think any one contract is ever something to worry about. Normally, any team can deal with one bad contract, but you get two or three … ugh … all it takes is a couple of bad contracts to put you in a position where you’re either trading guys you want because you can’t afford them or you’re filling out too much of your lineup with league minimum types.

But my thinking about bad contracts may not be so accurate with the cap being flat for three more seasons. Bad contracts are only going to be amplified as the league deals with the covid financial fallout.