Edmonton Oilers defenseman announces retirement due to major injury
Photo credit: Sportsnet
Former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom, who has been absent from the NHL for nearly four years, has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey due to persistent injuries.
Klefbom, who was once a key player for the Oilers, revealed the decision in an interview with Nya Wermlands Tidningen of NWT, stating, "Now it's over."
«It is as it is. I wasn't quite done with hockey as a sport. But now it's over,» Klefbom said, per Pro Hockey Rumors. «I am very happy with my career. I'm just grateful that I got the chance to play as many games as I did � even though it was as an injury. I gained a lot of trust, got to take part in a fantastic journey. There are really two sides to the coin � because although I am grateful, I would have liked to be here today. On the ice. As a player.»
«It was a choice I made," Klefbom said. "I talked to Edmonton that I wanted to lay very low with what was going to happen and what the situation is. They were perfectly 'fine' with that. From my side, it was also because I thought it was so difficult to talk about it.»
Klefbom's last appearance on the ice was on August 7, 2020, when the Oilers faced elimination by the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoff bubble's qualifying round. After this heartbreaking playoff exit, the Swedish defenseman underwent surgery to address a long-standing shoulder injury dating back to his junior years in the 2012-13 season.
Unfortunately, this procedure did not bring the desired recovery, and Klefbom never returned to play for the Oilers again.
Klefbom's tenure with the Oilers spanned seven seasons, although he played a full 82-game season only once, in 2016-17. That season, he tallied 12 goals and 26 assists, finishing with a solid plus/minus rating of +7. He also contributed five points during the playoffs for the Oilers.
Overall, Klefbom's NHL career saw him score 34 goals and provide 122 assists for a total of 156 points across 378 games. However, his defensive performance was less impressive, reflected in a career minus-64 rating. In the playoffs, he accumulated seven points in 16 games.
Klefbom has expressed that the ongoing injury issues have taken a significant mental toll, leading him to avoid watching Oilers games since his departure in 2020 due to a sense of missing out.
We extend our best wishes to Oscar Klefbom for his retirement and hope to see him continue his involvement in the hockey community in some capacity in the future.
Source: Markerzone
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Oscar Klefbom Stats}»
Oscar Klefbom Stats}»
| POLL | ||
8 AOUT | 73 ANSWERS Edmonton Oilers defenseman announces retirement due to major injury Should the Edmonton Oilers honor Oscar Klefbom's contributions with a special ceremony? | ||
| Yes | 38 | 52.1 % |
| No | 35 | 47.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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