Ducks leak asking price for John Klingberg ahead of trade deadline

Earlier this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman made the bold prediction that Anaheim Ducks defenseman and coveted trade bait John Klingberg would end up with the Edmonton Oilers after March 3rd.

Pierre LeBrun has reported that the asking price to pry Klingberg out of Anaheim will have to start with a first-round draft pick, though the insider appears unsure any suitor will want to pay as much.

“The price on the pending UFA defenseman starts with a first-round pick, or at least that’s what the Ducks have told some clubs. Never say never, but given Klingberg’s struggles so far this season, I just don’t see a team jumping up to pay that price. There’s no doubt in my mind that Klingberg on a contender would begin to look like his old self again, but still, that just seems like too high a price. I don’t blame the Ducks at all for trying. It’s still January. Lots of time before March 3.”

As LeBrun points out, Klingberg still has time to make a case for himself and end on the roster of a contender seeking a long playoff run, though he is putting up subpar numbers with five goals and 13 points in 35 games, plus that terrible -24 rating.

Lisa Dillman of the Orange County Register recently reported that Klingberg is aware that he’s trade bait this season and has improved since the holiday break. Klingberg could go back to being that player who put up 40-plus points six times in his eight seasons with the Dallas Stars before he signed with the Ducks as a free agent this summer.

However, if Anaheim wants that return, the team might have to retain half of Klingberg’s prorated $7 million cap hit if a club meets the asking price.

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