Oilers’ Oscar Klefbom officially announces retirement: A look at his legacy in Edmonton.

News this week from Sweden: Oscar Klefbom is officially retired.

An article from Rasmus Kågström of Hockey Sverige clarifies how difficult it was for Klefbom to let go of the game.

In this way, his experience mirrored his fans in Edmonton.

“It was a choice I made. I talked to Edmonton that I wanted to lay very low with what was going to happen and what the situation is,” said Klefbom. “They were perfectly fine with that. From my side, it was also because I thought it was so difficult to talk about it.”

The still-young former NHL defenceman (he just turned 31) had a major impact on Oilers fans with his fine play over seven seasons.

As memories fade, it’s easy to forget what Klefbom brought to the team and the impact of his absence.

If he had stayed healthy, then-Oilers general manager Ken Holland would have had Klefbom as insurance against losing Darnell Nurse to free agency. It’s possible the Nurse contract would have been less severe with a healthy Klefbom.

If he had stayed healthy, perhaps Adam Larsson would have stayed in Alberta and provided sturdy and steady play over the last couple of seasons.

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

Klefbom with and without the puck

The strongest memory I have of Klefbom as a player is his patented exits from his own zone with the puck. He would gradually wind his way up the ice, gingerly making progress while assessing the situation. He was a fine passer, owned a powerful shot (one of the most famous pings in Oilers history came from Klefbom and resulted in a huge playoff goal) and had a great sense of the moment. He could spring a forward with a deft pass in one heartbeat.

Klefbom was a complete NHL defenceman, capable of impacting the game across 200 feet, with and without the puck.

Throughout Oilers history, filled with many of the greatest offensive weapons in the history of the game, a rugged two-way defender with great finesse was an actual unicorn.

Klefbom and Larsson formed an outstanding tandem during their time together in Edmonton.

At their peak, and the team’s outer marker in the first 20 years of this century, the duo delivered exceptional performances versus elite competition. Puck IQ’s tracking of the tandem during the 2016-17 season shows a 22-13 goal advantage in 375 minutes played at five-on-five.

The 2017 playoffs were a joy ride for Edmonton fans and a team that hadn’t tasted the postseason for over a decade. Both men averaged over 23 minutes a night over 12 games in the playoffs that spring, providing a tower of defensive power for the Oilers.

Away from Larsson

On opening night in 2019, Klefbom-Larsson played well but Larsson got hurt. That left Klefbom to play with all manner of inferior partners before settling in with rookie Ethan Bear.

He and Bear formed a solid tandem, but Klefbom spent much of the year with less dependable partners and the 2019-20 season saw downbeat results for the veteran.

Klefbom was central to team success. Edmonton was dead in the water when he was hurt. He was able to play just one full season, and the Oilers rolled to their best finish (2016-17) and a long playoff run.

The Oilers’ inability to provide their top lefty defenceman with a suitable partner bled through the Klefbom era and has plagued the career of Darnell Nurse in the years since.

It is now the No. 1 job for new general manager Stan Bowman. He will be the fourth (after Peter Chiarelli, Keith Gretzky in a brief period and Holland) to try to seal the leak on RH defence.

Legacy

Klefbom played just seven seasons with Edmonton, many with large swaths cut out of them due to injuries.

His legacy is contained in his original scouting report, delivered by TSN’s Bob McKenzie on the draft floor in 2011. “Klefbom plays a very physical game, he rushes the puck up the ice, he likes to join the attack. He makes a lot of mistakes, he can be headstrong, he’s a raw talent who has the potential to be a punishing defensive player, but also a guy who can put the puck in the net and generate offense from the blue line.”

Klefbom ironed out those mistakes and emerged as a top-flight NHL defender.

In the history of the Oilers, defencemen have played a major part in team success.

Paul Coffey is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, mostly due to outstanding offensive performances from the blue.

Chris Pronger is also in the HHOF, his one season with the Oilers a delight and a reminder of how hockey was played 75 years ago. His truly filthy play and brilliance in all areas represents peak value for Oilers defencemen over the years.

Kevin Lowe is also in the Hall and is the most dominant pure defender to ever put on an Oilers jersey.

Klefbom ranks behind those names in team lore. He also didn’t have the kind of offensive creativity and two-way acumen currently being shown in Edmonton by Evan Bouchard.

Among all other names who played defence for Edmonton, Klefbom ranks right at the top with men like Nurse and Charlie Huddy.

His career was cut short by injury, so there is no day in the future that will see him inducted into the Hall of Fame. At 31, he should still be on the ice thrilling fans with that fantastic shot and serpentine exits out of the zone.

Sail on, Oscar Klefbom. Some players come to this city and have an impact greater than their contributions to the game. Klefbom was such a player and his retirement brings closure but does not ease the disappointment of a career shortened by injury.

The sense of loss experienced by Oilers fans after the shocking end to his hockey career still echoes to this day.

He will be remembered fondly, with a touch of melancholy over a brilliant career dashed by injury.