The Edmonton Oilers today announced some difficult news that had appeared to be a long time coming. Defenceman Oscar Klefbom has officially announced that he retires from the NHL. Klefbom had not skated in the NHL since the 2019-20 campaign in the playoffs. In August 2020, the Oilers had lost in their first round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series to the Chicago Blackhawks in four games. Klefbom had not appeared in the NHL since that time.
The Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Oscar Klefbom Retires From the NHL
Oscar Klefbom had an impressive career with the Edmonton when he was healthy. However, in saying that, it is being reported that Klefbom had apparently suffered from this injury for the majority of his NHL playing career. It was in December of 2020 that the Oilers said that Klefbom would be having surgery to try to heal his shoulder. Furthermore, he would have to miss the 2020-21 season. He would eventually be ruled out for 2021-22 as well. As time went on, he was just never able to recover from the injury and subsequent surgery.
Klefbom’s Retirement Was a Long Time Coming It Seems
Here we are today, nearly four years removed from Klefbom playing in the NHL. All along Klefbom, 31, and the Edmonton Oilers organization as a whole had hoped that Klefbom would be able to play again. Both team and player had remained optimistic. However, it seems the time has come for Klefbom to prioritize his long term health and announce his retirement from the NHL. At this time, Klefbom still expresses his wish to continue in some capacity in the game he loves. But there is no indication at this time what that could entail.
Looking at back at his career numbers as Oscar Klefbom retires, he was a productive contributor for the Oilers. In 378 career games, over seven NHL seasons, he averaged 22:49 minutes a game. In addition, he had 34 career goals, with 122 assists for 156 points. He played a big role on the Oilers blueline, especially during the club’s 2017 playoff run. Even though it was from a while ago, his abilities on the backend will be surely missed by the Oilers that still remain. Here’s to wishing him all the best in his journey after his NHL playing days.
Main photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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