EDMONTON -- John Klingberg did his due diligence prior to having resurfacing surgery on both hips.
The 32-year-old defenseman said he reached out to other players who had the procedure, and now is ready to return to the NHL after signing a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.
"I did a lot of research before I ultimately decided to do it and [Patrick] Kane was a big piece of that, to reach out to him, but also Nicklas Backstrom and there's a few other guys that have done the same surgery back home in Sweden that have played on it for a few years as well," Klingberg said Monday. "Before going in and deciding to do the surgery I did my research together with my agent, speaking to a lot of different doctors and other things that you need to know before you ultimately decide to do it. I got great feedback from it and obviously keeping tabs with Kane as well through last year and this year as well. He's feeling good and I think the most exciting part is that it's going to get better and better by every week and every month that goes by which is really exciting.
"I started skating in April or May of last year, but it was more just go out there and start doing stuff so you get used to it again. I'd say when it really ramped up was in the summer, so I've been skating for a while. I feel incredible. I have way more motion [mobility], not any pain anymore, which is exciting. I feel great and I'm very happy to be here now."
Klingberg, who practiced with the Oilers for the first time Monday, has not played since Nov. 11, 2023, when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had five assists in 14 games before being placed on long-term injured reserve.
He had surgery in December 2023 and has been working his way back. He's hoping to play for the Oilers prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will be held Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. They have nine games before then, starting against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, MNMT).
"I feel like I’m coming along really good," Klingberg said. "It’s just a matter of getting to the pace of playing against the best players in the world again.
"I’m not sure but the plan is to get in two games before the break. When that is, I’m not sure. This is my first practice today. Met with the coaches, we’ll talk with the medical team and everything about that as well. If I just look at it from my own perspective, it would be nice to get it in before the break, a few games."
Klingberg was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round (No. 131) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played eight seasons with Dallas before moving on to play with the Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and Maple Leafs.
His best season was in 2017-18 with the Stars when he had 67 points (eight goals, 59 assists) in 82 games. But even then, Klingberg said his hips were an issue.
"It's been there my entire career," he said. "... It's always been something that's been there and I've been able to play through. But then over the last few years it's been gradually getting worse and worse and it came to a point last year where something happened during a game and I just felt that there is no way I’m going to be able to play another 80 games here.
"That's when we decided to go down that [surgery] road and I'm happy I did. I feel so much better, have so much more motion and no pain, so that's incredible."
Edmonton is happy to be able to add a player of Klingberg's ability to their defense corps. The Oilers (29-14-3) are looking at making another long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season after getting to Game 7 of the Cup Final against the Florida Panthers last season.
"He's tough to play against for sure," Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "It's nice when a guy like that joins you and you don't have to face him. From what I remember he was so shifty on the [blue] line, and coming down on you too. Obviously he's been a high-end player in this League for a long time now, so I'm definitely excited."
Klingberg admitted he struggled defensively the past few seasons because of his hips. He had 47 points (six goals, 41 assists) but a minus-28 rating in 2021-22 with the Stars, and 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) with a minus-28 rating in 50 games with the Ducks in 2022-23 before being traded to the Wild on March 2, 2023.
"A big part of my game is possession, playing with the puck and creating offense, but also I want to be reliable on the defensive side as well, and I haven't been over the last few years, which I know," Klingberg said. "That's something that I'm going to have to come back and prove, that I can be some kind of a corner piece on a successful team. That's how I look at it. For me it's important to come back and contribute with the puck but also be reliable defensively as well. I think that's something that I hope and I'm pretty confident that is going to be a lot better just because of the way I move."
Coach Kris Knoblauch said the Oilers felt Klingberg was a good option for defensive depth despite the hip issues. Knoblauch did not reveal a timeline for when Klingberg could play.
"The fact he'd been skating as long as he had and the reports on his injury and his experience and playing level that he's used to ... and that pulled him back, the hips were bothering him for quite some time," Knoblauch said. "He wanted to get those addressed, he wanted to make sure he was ready to play and not rush it. He probably could have been ready to play for an NHL training camp, but he wanted to make sure he was ready and have a good year and making sure his body was 100 percent so he can make a good impression to help himself in the future."
