Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [Signing] Oilers sign Klefbom to 7 year extension ($4.167 mil AAV)

Calgary4LIfe · 09-22-2015, 10:26 AM

I really don't agree with that signing.

There are 2 other Swedish defencemen that were much more heralded coming out of the Swedish elite league (and who have both done better in that league), and then also did better in the AHL as well. They both have many more games under their belt in the NHL and have put up more points. Who are they? Our friend Tim Erixon is one, and the other is David Rundblad. Now, I get that Klefbom is on an 'upswing' in career trajectory, and those guys have flat-lined (if not fully regressed), but that is essentially the point I am making. Those were 2 "absolutely guaranteed future valuable top 4 defencemen". More importantly, they both were very good 2-way prospects capable of putting up points. They have outscored Klefbom at every level (which as we know, defencemen get paid the big bucks by how offensive they are).

If you take a quick look around the NHL, what do 2nd pairing defenders make? About as much as the contract he just signed, no? Give or take half a million or a million? Does he have an offensive ceiling to his game that I am unaware of that will make him command 5+ million a season?

Dougie Hamilton just signed for what? 1 million more? 1.5 million more? Now I get that 1-1.5 million dollar in savings is substantial in the grand scheme of things, but there is no guarantee that Klefbom ever becomes as good as Hamilton is already, and I am pretty sure that most hockey fans would agree that Hamilton has much more room to grow as a player.

In what world does a team offer pretty much 'fair market value' to a top 4 defencemen for 7 years after less than a full season's worth of games? Klefbom would be an ideal bridge-contract candidate. He doesn't have that high ceiling. He may be the 2nd best up and coming defencemen in Edmonton's pool, but what is his ceiling really? I don't think he is a top-pairing defencemen. Solid top 4 with average offensive ability (in the 30's in point production, let's say). That is what I have him pegged at. Am I so wrong with my perceived estimation of his ceiling? I must be. There is no way that a team should be lining up to offer a guy with his ceiling (especially offensive ceiling) top 4 money this early in his career for this long without having some expectations that he will significantly out-perform that contract to off-set the risk that he doesn't Erixon or Rundblad himself.

I like Klefbom. I just must be horribly unaware at what his ceiling is. He must be a bona fide top pairing guy for the future putting up at least 40+ points for this contract to be deemed a bargain. 2nd pairing providing good 2-way play? Modest cap savings in the long run, but loads of risk signing him for 7 years.

09-22-2015, 10:26 AM	#263
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	I really don't agree with that signing. There are 2 other Swedish defencemen that were much more heralded coming out of the Swedish elite league (and who have both done better in that league), and then also did better in the AHL as well. They both have many more games under their belt in the NHL and have put up more points. Who are they? Our friend Tim Erixon is one, and the other is David Rundblad. Now, I get that Klefbom is on an 'upswing' in career trajectory, and those guys have flat-lined (if not fully regressed), but that is essentially the point I am making. Those were 2 "absolutely guaranteed future valuable top 4 defencemen". More importantly, they both were very good 2-way prospects capable of putting up points. They have outscored Klefbom at every level (which as we know, defencemen get paid the big bucks by how offensive they are). If you take a quick look around the NHL, what do 2nd pairing defenders make? About as much as the contract he just signed, no? Give or take half a million or a million? Does he have an offensive ceiling to his game that I am unaware of that will make him command 5+ million a season? Dougie Hamilton just signed for what? 1 million more? 1.5 million more? Now I get that 1-1.5 million dollar in savings is substantial in the grand scheme of things, but there is no guarantee that Klefbom ever becomes as good as Hamilton is already, and I am pretty sure that most hockey fans would agree that Hamilton has much more room to grow as a player. In what world does a team offer pretty much 'fair market value' to a top 4 defencemen for 7 years after less than a full season's worth of games? Klefbom would be an ideal bridge-contract candidate. He doesn't have that high ceiling. He may be the 2nd best up and coming defencemen in Edmonton's pool, but what is his ceiling really? I don't think he is a top-pairing defencemen. Solid top 4 with average offensive ability (in the 30's in point production, let's say). That is what I have him pegged at. Am I so wrong with my perceived estimation of his ceiling? I must be. There is no way that a team should be lining up to offer a guy with his ceiling (especially offensive ceiling) top 4 money this early in his career for this long without having some expectations that he will significantly out-perform that contract to off-set the risk that he doesn't Erixon or Rundblad himself. I like Klefbom. I just must be horribly unaware at what his ceiling is. He must be a bona fide top pairing guy for the future putting up at least 40+ points for this contract to be deemed a bargain. 2nd pairing providing good 2-way play? Modest cap savings in the long run, but loads of risk signing him for 7 years.