Is Oscar Klefbom more important to the Oilers than people realize?

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Ever since Klefbom went down, the Oilers have won 1 game against a Flyers team that gave up on their old coach. Their defensive metrics have also suffered with him gone. For a player that many wouldn't consider a 1D, he sure is extremely valuable to the Oilers, heck some may even argue more important than McDavid. Just look at the stretches where he's either missed or played poorly since McDavid became an Oiler.

Last season when Klefbom was playing hurt, the entire Oilers team suffered. In 2015-2016, the Oilers season fell apart not without McDavid, but without Klefbom. The one season the Oilers made the playoffs, Klefbom was healthy and played significantly better than his replacements in his position (GAR). Then there's now.

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[AuraSphere]

I mean any team losing their best D would hit hard. Unless you have insane D depth which the Oilers do not. But yes to answer your question, he is very important.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I mean any team losing their best D would hit hard. Unless you have insane D depth which the Oilers do not. But yes to answer your question, he is very important.

I haven't checked recent GAR (Goals above replacement). But Klefbom was the most important player to his team in his position in 2016-2017. Even Sekera who had a lowkey good season that season suffered greatly in Klefbom's role when asked, and same goes for Nurse, Russell, etc.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

heck some may even argue more important than McDavid.
.

this aint it chief

 

[tmurfin]

No way he’s more valuable than McDavid. Obviously he’s valuable, they have have a poor D corps WITH him in it. Without him it suffers of course. But they just don’t have a good team. Koskinen played absolutely out of his mind and they won some games, he’s cooled off now. End of story.

 

[SullivanT]

Oilers defense when healthy
Klefbom Larsson
Russel Sekera
Nurse the rest

Injured Larsson
Injured injured
Alot of teams would struggle with 3 of top 4 d out of lineup

 

[ESH]

Ever since Klefbom went down, the Oilers have won 1 game against a Flyers team that gave up on their old coach. Their defensive metrics have also suffered with him gone. For a player that many wouldn't consider a 1D, he sure is extremely valuable to the Oilers, heck some may even argue more important than McDavid. Just look at the stretches where he's either missed or played poorly since McDavid became an Oiler.

Ridiculous. Nobody is going to argue that.

 

[Butch 19]

How wold non-oiler fans know?

Why not ask the oiler board?

 

[Kamiccolo]

Oilers defense when healthy
Klefbom Larsson
Russel Sekera
Nurse the rest

Injured Larsson
Injured injured
Alot of teams would struggle with 3 of top 4 d out of lineup

Sekera shouldn't even be penciled in considering the injury history there. Really it's 2 of 4. and Russel is no big loss

 

[Zirakzigil]

Do the Oilers miss him? Ya, their defense is terrible and without him it’s worse. However, they aren’t a good team regardless.

 

[SullivanT]

Sekera shouldn't even be penciled in considering the injury history there. Really it's 2 of 4. and Russel is no big loss

Sekera was one of our best defensemen got hurt in the playoffs had surgery then came back half way through last season just started getting back to himself at the end of the season. Then he had an unfortunate injury in training camp and we have nothing to fill that position not anything even close to what Sekera was .also saying Russel isn't much if a loss to the lineup then you either don't watch or have a bias against him because he's been great.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Sekera was one of our best defensemen got hurt in the playoffs had surgery then came back half way through last season just started getting back to himself at the end of the season. Then he had an unfortunate injury in training camp and we have nothing to fill that position not anything even close to what Sekera was .also saying Russel isn't much if a loss to the lineup then you either don't watch or have a bias against him because he's been great.

Come on Russel is a #5 D at best. If losing him hurts your team that much you shouldn't be in the playoffs IMO

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Yes, OP. Klefbom is very good and losing him hurts a lot. If we had a workhorse #1 defenceman it wouldn’t hurt quite as much but we don’t.

Sekera being permanently injured doesn’t help either. Two of the top four out would hurt anyone.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Call up the shiny new draftee D Evan Bouchard. The boy is ready.

 

[dss97]

I think most people know Klef is a very good dman, and losing our #3 and #4 hurts too.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Call up the shiny new draftee D Evan Bouchard. The boy is ready.

We’re trying not to break this one thanks

 

[93LEAFS]

Call up the shiny new draftee D Evan Bouchard. The boy is ready.

Can't call him up until London's season is over. Considering how London's season is trending, and how Edmonton's season is trending, the Oilers season will end before the Knights.

 

[Del Preston]

He is sorely missed. Looks like the Oilers will fall to 1-4-1 since injuries to him and Russell.

 

[SullivanT]

Come on Russel is a #5 D at best. If losing him hurts your team that much you shouldn't be in the playoffs IMO

In conjunction with klefbom and Sekera yes it matters to the team. Remember cause that's what we were talking about.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

1-5-1 since he's gone, Klefbom can't come back soon enough.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Not a good sign that the team collapses without him. If you need perfect health and everything to go right in order to make the playoffs then it's not a good team.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Not a good sign that the team collapses without him. If you need perfect health and everything to go right in order to make the playoffs then it's not a good team.

Oilers got Bouchard last summer, they should try to get Broberg this draft.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Ever since Klefbom went down, the Oilers have won 1 game against a Flyers team that gave up on their old coach. Their defensive metrics have also suffered with him gone. For a player that many wouldn't consider a 1D, he sure is extremely valuable to the Oilers, heck some may even argue more important than McDavid. Just look at the stretches where he's either missed or played poorly since McDavid became an Oiler.

Last season when Klefbom was playing hurt, the entire Oilers team suffered. In 2015-2016, the Oilers season fell apart not without McDavid, but without Klefbom. The one season the Oilers made the playoffs, Klefbom was healthy and played significantly better than his replacements in his position (GAR). Then there's now.

and Russel

 

[Pointteen]

Klefa is exceptional.
I have a couple of issues with his game, but he is excellent. Then I remember his contract.
We really miss him and Russell. Sekera is essentially just gone now. We'll be lucky to see him as anything more than a bottom pairing who can play Shinpad Assassin on the power play.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Oilers have 3 D out

Klef. Russell and Sekera--Sekera is getting ready to come back thou