“I did a lot of research”: John Klingberg's playoff revival driving Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup aspirations

John Klingberg is now a key part of the Edmonton Oilers' playoff machine, just 18 months after having major hip surgery that kept him out for good. The veteran blueliner, who once was a star for the Dallas Stars, is playing some of the most meaningful hockey of his life, leading the Edmonton Oilers toward Stanley Cup victory.

John Klingberg's path from double hip resurfacing surgery to becoming one of the team's most trusted players is an impressive tale in the high-stakes world of NHL playoffs.

John Klingberg's offensive sensibilities guide Edmonton Oilers through masterful postseason

John Klingberg hadn't played an NHL game since November 2023 before agreeing to a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers in January. “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,” John Klingberg explained.

John Klingberg has shared a chemistry-based pairing in the 2025 playoffs with Jake Walman. They've played more minutes than any other pair of Oilers defensemen, demonstrating that head coach Kris Knoblauch and defense coach Paul Coffey have full confidence in the experienced Swede. Though their attack is obvious—the Edmonton Oilers' highest 5-on-5 expected goals percentage (66.34%) in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final—occasionally, their defensive weaknesses are seen.

Nevertheless, their capacity to shift the puck rapidly and cleanly across the neutral zone has been crucial to the Edmonton Oilers' high-scoring attack.

Their play underscores a larger strategic risk that's worked out for the Oilers: adopting a high-risk, high-reward style on the blue line. Paul Coffey, himself a three-time winner of the Norris Trophy, evidently recognized potential in combining two offense-first defenders, even if it came with the possibility of lapses defensively. John Klingberg is not the 67-point machine he used to be with the Dallas Stars, but he's possibly playing more significant hockey than ever. This iteration of Klingberg perhaps doesn't pad the stat sheet like before, but his impact on Edmonton's playoff success can't be denied. Also read: Jake Walman might be the 'Stanley Cup push' Edmonton Oilers needFrom sitting on the bench with no obvious way back to skating significant minutes in the Stanley Cup Final, John Klingberg's journey is a testament to grit and faith. His return is greater than a personal success; it's a turning point in the Oilers' playoff story.