Stars defenceman John Klingberg reportedly wants trade out of Dallas

The NHL trade deadline just got more interesting.

Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg has asked for a trade away from the organization that drafted him, according to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.

The 29-year-old blueliner is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and with contract negotiations between his agent and the Stars “hitting a wall” as Klingberg seeks long-term security — and with the player most likely leaving in several months anyway — one could see the request being granted and Dallas trying to cash-in on the offensive defenseman.

Unfortunately for the Stars, this comes at a time when they are hot in a playoff race. While Dallas is sitting four points back of the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild card spot, due to scheduling and COVID-caused game postponements, Dallas has at least four games in-hand compared to their fellow playoff hopefuls.

Klingberg would no doubt add an interesting dynamic to a Stanley Cup contender. The 2010 fifth-round pick is guaranteed to produce points from the blue line, earning 52 points in 78 games through his last two seasons, while also being respectable defensively.

If any club wants a top-pairing right-handed defenseman — basically every single team in the NHL — then the Stars can create a little bit of a bidding war for the rental blueliner and haul in some assets for the stretch run.

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