The deal was first announced early on Friday and will keep Klingberg as a member of the Dallas Stars until the end of the 2020-21 season.
The Dallas Stars decided to extend the Swede after a stellar rookie campaign where he scored 40 points (11 goals and 29 assists) in 65 games. After being drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Klingberg only managed to make the team this season but he certainly made a very good impression and due to the fact that he was going to be a restricted ftee agent this offseason, the franchise has decided to lock him up before any offers could arrive.
GM Jim Nill was certainly pleased with what Klingberg showed this season, despite the team's struggles on the defensive side of the puck.
"John's a very special player"; Nill told media after announcing the new deal. "He fits in perfectly with where our core is age-wise and his impact on the team was felt immediately. We expect him to build off his rookie season and continue his development towards becoming an elite all-around defenseman."
That's a high praise for a 22-year old that has less than a full season at the NHL level.
There's no question that Klingberg only has a small sample size and that he will need to either improve or maintain his level of play to justify this new deal that will pay him an average of $4.7 million per season. However, he proved to be a force on both sides of the ice and if he's able to maintain these performances, then Klingberg could easily become a regular fixture on the team's blue-line for years to come.