Klingberg, 29 (8/14/92), led the Dallas Stars to an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, scoring 4-17=21 points in 26 postseason contests. Only five other defensemen since 1995 have recorded more points in a single postseason, including Cale Makar (29 with Colorado in 2022), Miro Heiskanen (26 with Dallas in 2020), Brent Burns (24 with San Jose in 2016), Adam Fox (23 with NY Rangers in 2022) and Victor Hedman (22 with Tampa Bay in 2020).
"We are extremely excited to add John to our group," said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek. "John is a gifted player who can quarterback a power play and give us needed scoring from the blueline. He also adds veteran leadership and character to our team."
The 6-3, 190-pound defenseman has recorded 71-303=374 points and 213 penalty minutes (PIM) in 552 career NHL games with the Stars since his debut in 2014-15. He also scored 7-28=35 points in 59 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests. In 2021-22, Klingberg recorded 6-41=47 points and 34 PIM in 74 regular-season games and added one assist in seven Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Selected by Dallas in the fifth round (131st overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Klingberg is the all-time Stars franchise leader in game-winning goals (21), while he ranks third in all-time goals, assists and points. Among defensemen selected in the 2010 NHL Draft, he leads in points, assists, primary assists (157), power-play points (148), power-play assists (129) and overtime goals (6).
Klingberg has led Dallas blueliners in scoring in seven of his eight NHL seasons, becoming the only defensemen in Stars franchise history to record 30 or more points in each of his first eight seasons. Klingberg also became the 24th defenseman in NHL history to surpass 30 points in each of his first seven seasons, the first to do so since Dion Phaneuf logged 30-plus points in seven straight seasons from 2005-12. He has also finished in the top-10 among league defensemen in scoring three times (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18), and goals (2016-17 and 2017-18) and assists (2015-16 and 2017-18) twice.
Klingberg set single-season career highs in points and assists in 2017-18 (8-59=67), leading all NHL defensemen in assists and ranking tied for second in assists, while ranking tied for second among all league skaters in assists. His 67 points were the second-most by a Dallas defensemen since 2005-06 (Sergei Zubov, 71 in 2005-06). He scored a personal best 13 goals in 2016-17 and led all Dallas skaters with 29 assists in 2020-21.
He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2014-15 after earning 11-29=40 points in 65 games. He led all NHL rookie defensemen in assists and points, while ranking fourth and seventh among all NHL rookies, respectively. He also established new Stars club records for most goals, assists and points in a single season by a rookie defenseman.
In 2013-14, he appeared in 50 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), earning 11-17=28 points with a +8 rating, leading club defensemen in points and goals, and ranking fourth among team leaders in points. He also led Frolunda with four assists (0-4=4) in seven SHL Playoff contests.
A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Klingberg has helped Sweden to three gold medals, including the 2017 and 2018 World Championships and 2012 World Junior Championship. He also represented his country at two other World Championships (2015 and 2019) and the 2011 World Junior Championship. He was named the 2018 World Championship Best Defensemen after collecting 1-5=6 points with a +6 rating in 10 tournament games.
