Dallas Stars: John Klingberg’s Rise To The Elite Level

Since coming onto the scene back in 2014, John Klingberg has transformed the Dallas Stars’ defense and is becoming greater than everyone expected.

John Klingberg has been one of the more extraordinary stories in hockey for a little over a year now and he is continuing to improve and assert himself in more unique ways on the ice.

Klingberg was called up to the Stars in November of 2014. At the time, he was just a young, 22-year-old defenseman who had been playing with the Texas Stars of the AHL. He played in his first NHL game on Nov. 11. Six games later, he scored his first goal on Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes. From that moment on, Stars’ fans and hockey fans alike, knew there was something different about him.

Klingberg went on to complete a brilliant rookie season, scoring a goal from center ice at one point and even registering four points (two goals and two assists) in a single game. He finished with a total of 11 goals and 29 assists, adding up to 40 points. That was good enough to be the most out of any rookie defenseman in 2014-15.

The Stars ultimately missed the Playoffs that season but regrouped during the summer by acquiring players like Antti Niemi, Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya. With higher standards to back up his rookie performance and a better team, the pressure was on Klingberg to deliver.

Once the season started, it was obvious that his rookie season had been no fluke and that he had improved his all-around game. With veterans like Johnny Oduya and Alex Goligoski to help him develop over the summer, Klingberg showed signs of elite hockey play.

His skating was better, his stickhandling was better and overall, Klingberg looked like more of a leader on the ice. He even began to use some nice moves from time to time that helped him lose defenders and fire goals in from long distance.

As the season has moved along, Klingberg has become more of a target to other teams and they have tried to use physicality in order to slow him down, but he has responded rather well and has fought through every roadblock thrown at him, showing his mental and physical toughness.

One other aspect of his game has been put on display this year has been his ability to win games in overtime. With the addition of three-on-three overtime, Klingberg has formed an amazing trio with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. In the process of learning the new rules, he has netted four game-winners in overtime so far and has helped the Stars win close games with his pinpoint accuracy and captivating moves.

All season long, he has been one of the top defensemen in the entire NHL, hovering around in the top-three in defensive stats. In the span of just over a year, Klingberg has risen to the level of all other elite NHL defensemen and he has given the Stars something they haven’t had in a while: a clear-cut No. 1 defenseman.

He has even drawn comparisons to former Stars’ defenseman Sergei Zubov. During his time in Dallas, Zubov epitomized what being a true defenseman was like. Klingberg has taken the early steps of becoming Zubov-like, dare I say, with his clutch goals and awe-inspiring level of play at such a young age.

It’s a given that Klingberg is going to be an important piece to the puzzle in Dallas for years to come, as he is under contract for the next seven years, and at some point in his career, I imagine he will be a hot candidate for the Norris Trophy, given to the league’s best defenseman.

It’s rare that you see a player like Klingberg get brought up due to an injury and never leave. It’s even more rare to see one rise to the levels that Klingberg has risen to already, without even playing a full season in the NHL.

Next: The Stars May Not Be Ready For Prime Time Just Yet

Treasure these moments as Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and the rest of the team play with a player like John Klingberg, because the next 4-5 years are set to be fun all because one defenseman got an unlikely chance at carving his legacy into the NHL.