Player Discussion Oscar Klefbom

[missinthejets]

To me it is no coincidence that this team was a playoff team with Sekera healthy and Klefbom playing well and was utter trash with Klefbom playing poorly and Sekera hurt, and now with both guys hurt. They may not be the best defensemen out their but both guys are solid players and it makes the whole group stronger. I mean Klefbom/Larsson are capable of playing top pairing minutes usually. Not the best but far from the worst, and when you follow that up with Sekera/Russell (or even Nurse/Russell) that's a fine to good second pair, and if you have Nurse (or Sekera)/whoever on your third pairing you have 3 pairings that can get the job done. Without 2 of those though, or 3 as with missing Russell recently then you are down to basically one competent pairing. Really makes it hard to win.

 

[MessierII]

Watching how dominant the dmen were for sj....klef is not there.....

Hes a top pair dman that is average at the point. Sadly our best option. Though nurse is approaching average.

Its a real shame larsson hasnt developed much. He should be better at the point too.

At the boards holding the zone i mean....

It’s a little skewed after watching the sharks though. Burns is the best at holding the line in the nhl. Personally I don’t think Nurse is close to where Klefbom is at. Nurse gets lit up when he has to move up the depth chart.

Klef this year was playing the best hockey of his career. His defensive game is leaps and bounds better than it was 2 years ago. He’s cut down the bad turnovers and his offensive game is still solid. He’s definitely a top pair D man and distinctly our best guy now.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

It’s a little skewed after watching the sharks though. Burns is the best at holding the line in the nhl. Personally I don’t think Nurse is close to where Klefbom is at. Nurse gets lit up when he has to move up the depth chart.

Klef this year was playing the best hockey of his career. His defensive game is leaps and bounds better than it was 2 years ago. He’s cut down the bad turnovers and his offensive game is still solid. He’s definitely a top pair D man and distinctly our best guy now.

I agree i just think he has to be better keeping the puck in. But maybe that is also a team thing.

 

[GMofOilers]

Tim & Sid talked a little bit about Klefbom and how much he is missed by the Oilers.

Some numbers:

Oilers with Klefbom
17-12-2 record
2.81 goals per game
2.94 goals against per game

Oilers without Klefbom
3-8-1 record
2.67 goals per game
3.92 goals against per game

Quite a significant difference. Would be nice if people could acknowledge that he is an actual top pairing D and not just a #3 or even a #4 as some people say he is. Every time he's out, the Oilers suffer tremendously.

Russel and Klefbom at the same time is a huge reason for that record and difference.

 

[backhandsauce]

When is he expected back? After the all star break?

 

[Zaddy]

Russel and Klefbom at the same time is a huge reason for that record and difference.

Russell plays a role in that record absolutely, but Klefbom is still the biggest part of it. With Klef healthy and Russell injured we'd still have a legit top pair in Klef and Lars and could have Nurse playing the 2nd pair minutes he's more suited to. Russell helps as he's proven to be a good partner to Nurse but those two can't handle top pair minutes the way Klef and Lars can, so you'd still see a very exposed defense at times.

 

[Stoneman89]

Russell plays a role in that record absolutely, but Klefbom is still the biggest part of it. With Klef healthy and Russell injured we'd still have a legit top pair in Klef and Lars and could have Nurse playing the 2nd pair minutes he's more suited to. Russell helps as he's proven to be a good partner to Nurse but those two can't handle top pair minutes the way Klef and Lars can, so you'd still see a very exposed defense at times.

I believe a huge chunk of the Oilers fortunes rest on the play of their goalies. We see it for stretches and even game to game. Early in the year we went on a big run as Talbot played extremely well. Then we went into a huge rut, which eventually cost Todd McLellen his job. We then went on another winning run as Koskinen took over from Talbot and played superbly. All of this happened while Klefbom was in the lineup. While his absence can't be underestimated, we need more consistent solid play from the net. We've looked decent when our goalies keep us in the game and then McDavid, Drai and Nuge take over. But when there are multiple weak goals in the first period, the whole team sags, and is too fragile to work their way back from it. Klef will help when he gets back, no doubt, but if our goaltending doesn't stabilize, it won't matter a whole lot.

 

[snipes]

There would be some letter U’s in there if he was Finnish

I’m 100% convinced that Todd from Leduc is a troll account.

 

[space321]

I’m 100% convinced that Todd from Leduc is a troll account.

that is pretty obvious

 

[harpoon]

Facts about Klefbom.

He has five (5!) career PP goals in spite of being on just about every PP since joining the team. I’m afraid to look up the actual PP minutes.

In 2016/17 he put up 12-26-38. That’s nearly half of his career total goals and a third of his career points.

He is a stonking -35 for his career. Contrast with Larsson who is +26 since coming to Edmonton, Russell who is +1 since coming to Edmonton and Nurse who is -11 (all accumulated this season while trying to carry the entire backend).

 

[BleedingOil]

Facts about Klefbom.

He has five (5!) career PP goals in spite of being on just about every PP since joining the team. I’m afraid to look up the actual PP minutes.

In 2016/17 he put up 12-26-38. That’s nearly half of his career total goals and a third of his career points.

He is a stonking -35 for his career. Contrast with Larsson who is +26 since coming to Edmonton, Russell who is +1 since coming to Edmonton and Nurse who is -11 (all accumulated this season while trying to carry the entire backend).

-28 of that came before he was 22 on the worst team in hockey and -12 last year playing through a major injury.

 

[harpoon]

They’re all playing on the worst team in hockey. I don’t see many people giving Nurse or Benning the youth excuse. And if Klefbom can’t stay healthy, what good is he to the team? I think Klefbom is an OK player, but he’s nothing to write home about. He had one dramatic season. It remains to be seen if he can come close to replicating.

 

[LaGu]

Klefbom in health is great D man. People forget that he was not supposed to be anywhere close to 1st pair until he started to take step forward after step forward from 14/15 second half (iirc).

Missing Klefbom is significant but that is also because of the lack of depth in the D core. I remember in 16/17 when Larsson came in and settled our top 4 together with Russell. That was such a huge difference from what we saw on the D years and years before that. Larsson for me is an excellent #2 who makes his partner better, problem comes when the team's D systems starts to break down and the team starts playing back-and-forth hockey. That is not his game, Klefbom is better at it and unless he is injured has a much better coping ability imo.

All this for basically comes down to being down a top3 D right from the get go. Having Sekera out but on the books is really really bad for this team. That needed to be addressed in the off season because now the team's D is too fragile. One guy out and they run on fumes, two guys out and the house comes crashing down.

 

[Zaddy]

Facts about Klefbom.

He has five (5!) career PP goals in spite of being on just about every PP since joining the team. I’m afraid to look up the actual PP minutes.

In 2016/17 he put up 12-26-38. That’s nearly half of his career total goals and a third of his career points.

He is a stonking -35 for his career. Contrast with Larsson who is +26 since coming to Edmonton, Russell who is +1 since coming to Edmonton and Nurse who is -11 (all accumulated this season while trying to carry the entire backend).

Context is important. Playing big minutes for one of the worst teams in the league will do that to you.

In 14/15 Klefbom was -21 in a year where the entire team was minus. Eberle was -16, Nuge -12, Schultz -17, Petry -25, Purcell -33 and Yakupov -35. So there's -21 of those -35. I'm sure it was Klefboms fault that the team was a complete dumpster fire that year.

In 15/16 Klefbom was -4 in 30 games played, while top d man Sekera went -15, Schultz -22 and Nurse -13 with forwards Letestu going -21, Yakupov -16 and Eberle -12.

In 16/17 Klefbom was a plus player and a huge part of a team that almost went to the WCF's. Sekera and Larsson also had great years. Nurse was +/- 0 in sheltered minutes.

In 17/18 Klefbom played through an injury which clearly affected him. So this is really the only year you can criticize him for. Nurse had a good year and was +15.

In 18/19 Klefbom has been the best Oilers D by a country mile. Larsson has been really inconsistent if not outright poor since Klefbom went down. And Nurse has drowned (-11) trying to replace Klefbom's minutes. So not sure what you're trying to argue here.

As for the PP, he sucks on it, that's nothing new, and I don't see anyone in here trying to argue the opposite, so why even bring that up? Is there some sort of rule that says you have to be a wizard on the PP to be considered a good player? Isn't strong 5v5 play a hell of a lot more important?

 

[LaGu]

They’re all playing on the worst team in hockey. I don’t see many people giving Nurse or Benning the youth excuse. And if Klefbom can’t stay healthy, what good is he to the team? I think Klefbom is an OK player, but he’s nothing to write home about. He had one dramatic season. It remains to be seen if he can come close to replicating.

That is a good point. Before getting injured in 15/16 and also this season he was more or less on pace for the same pts totals as in 16/17, but he needs to be playing for it to be of any use. McD may have been the best rookie in 15/16 but he lost handily to Panarin because he didn't show up for 30+ games where the team needed him. Not his fault of course but it was significant and correctly he wasn't awarded rookie of the year. Luckily in his case it was a one time off. Klefbom has been away quite alot, starting from his SHL years.

I do believe most if not all was pure bad luck, but it's getting to be a bit much... He needs to be playing, with Sekera out we need every D up and running.

 

[Louis Cypher]

To me it is no coincidence that this team was a playoff team with Sekera healthy and Klefbom playing well and was utter trash with Klefbom playing poorly and Sekera hurt, and now with both guys hurt. They may not be the best defensemen out their but both guys are solid players and it makes the whole group stronger. I mean Klefbom/Larsson are capable of playing top pairing minutes usually. Not the best but far from the worst, and when you follow that up with Sekera/Russell (or even Nurse/Russell) that's a fine to good second pair, and if you have Nurse (or Sekera)/whoever on your third pairing you have 3 pairings that can get the job done. Without 2 of those though, or 3 as with missing Russell recently then you are down to basically one competent pairing. Really makes it hard to win.

If healthy our defense is pretty good.

Klef-Larson
Nurse-russel
Sekera-jones/petrovic/Benning

 

[Canada Drai]

I miss this Swedish stud.

Dude is mad undervalued 'round these parts.

 

[Llamamoto]

That is a good point. Before getting injured in 15/16 and also this season he was more or less on pace for the same pts totals as in 16/17, but he needs to be playing for it to be of any use. McD may have been the best rookie in 15/16 but he lost handily to Panarin because he didn't show up for 30+ games where the team needed him. Not his fault of course but it was significant and correctly he wasn't awarded rookie of the year. Luckily in his case it was a one time off. Klefbom has been away quite alot, starting from his SHL years.

I do believe most if not all was pure bad luck, but it's getting to be a bit much... He needs to be playing, with Sekera out we need every D up and running.

Blocking a shot with your hand does not make you injury prone. But yeah, I get your point.

 

[LaGu]

Blocking a shot with your hand does not make you injury prone. But yeah, I get your point.

It's so frustrating though, freak staph infection, bone chips in shoulder, breaking fingers (not that this last one competes with the other two but still). I just wish this guy would get a couple or more years of mostly injury-free hockey. Considering where he is at with respect to what was foreseen in his draft year and D+1/+2 then it is pretty amazing really, and one can only imaging where we could have been had he not missed the better part of 3 out of his first 6 seasons...

 

[Senor Catface]

I miss this Swedish stud.

Dude is mad undervalued 'round these parts.

Some people don’t like him since he was a big meany to Hall in the media.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

They’re all playing on the worst team in hockey. I don’t see many people giving Nurse or Benning the youth excuse. And if Klefbom can’t stay healthy, what good is he to the team? I think Klefbom is an OK player, but he’s nothing to write home about. He had one dramatic season. It remains to be seen if he can come close to replicating.

this is a funny post considering he was playing the best hockey of his career this year

 

[McJadeddog]

If healthy our defense is pretty good.

Klef-Larson
Nurse-russel
Sekera-jones/petrovic/Benning

Yeah, it is kinda frustrating the injuries we've dealt with on the back end.

Especially Sekera. He goes from being our 2nd/3rd best dman in 2016-17, to not playing at all for 2 years essentially. Also, once he does finally return he will be at best a borderline player. All while sucking up 5.5 million in cap for another 2 years. Best case scenario with Sekera is that he is ready for 3rd pairing minutes next year without looking like absolute hot garbage, but even that is an unlikely scenario. It really is too bad, because he was a really solid player prior to his injury woes.

All that being said, the defense above is likely good enough to get into the playoffs with a team with average forwards and goal tending. However, we have below average forwards, and close to league worst goal tending.

 

[Zaddy]

Yeah, it is kinda frustrating the injuries we've dealt with on the back end.

Especially Sekera. He goes from being our 2nd/3rd best dman in 2016-17, to not playing at all for 2 years essentially. Also, once he does finally return he will be at best a borderline player. All while sucking up 5.5 million in cap for another 2 years. Best case scenario with Sekera is that he is ready for 3rd pairing minutes next year without looking like absolute hot garbage, but even that is an unlikely scenario. It really is too bad, because he was a really solid player prior to his injury woes.

All that being said, the defense above is likely good enough to get into the playoffs with a team with average forwards and goal tending. However, we have below average forwards, and close to league worst goal tending.

Yeah, the Sekera injuries have been really unfortunate. This D would be good enough if healthy to make the playoffs. People like to rag on our D, but it's really not that bad if it's healthy. Sekera was a really important part of this team who could anchor that 2nd pairing and provided this team with some much needed puck-moving ability. I feel like there's not enough talk about him and how much he is missed. That's definitely a huge part of why this team hasn't been better these two seasons. Also doesn't help just having his $5.5M caphit just sitting there.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

When is he expected back? After the all star break?

Stauffer has been saying there's a chance he could be back before the AS break, but definitely after as they have 10 days off. Hitchcock in his post game presser last night said he hopes to hear some good news either today or tomorrow ("tomorrow or the next day" is what he actually said).

 

[Little Fury]

If healthy our defense is pretty good.

Klef-Larson
Nurse-russel
Sekera-jones/petrovic/Benning

We're a real top pair D away from a "pretty good" defense.

Klef-Mister X
Nurse-Larsson
Jones/Gravel/Sekera/Russell/Benning