Dallas Stars: Is John Klingberg worth a new contract or is his star fading?

Dallas Stars: Poor play and age

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll remember the list of blunders that Klingberg has had, thankfully he’s also had a lot of good moments too. That being said, a specific Stars/Oilers game from 2016 comes to mind. That game was not the only time Klingberg put the puck into his own net, either.

Now that we’re having to look into it skeptically, we have to ask ourselves if the pros outweigh the cons in favor of a new contract. Klingberg’s play reminds me of Erik Karlsson and how his massive extension with San Jose has only hindered their success. The Stars dodged that one back in 2018, the Stars cannot afford to make that mistake this time around.

Klingberg’s age is another factor that needs to be taken into consideration. He will be 30 before the 2022-23 season starts, meaning he would be approximately 36 before his contract ends making $7.5 million all the while.

Given his current state of decline and +/- that went from +6 to -10 and finally -15 this last season, there’s not much showing a turnaround in his future. It would be understandable for a young player to put these stats up, but not for a seasoned veteran expecting a superstar contract like Klingberg.