Salary Cap Projections Update For Next Season Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2MjcyMTI2NTc4MTQwNjk5/usatsi_19662798.jpg] The Anaheim Ducks got in on the action on Friday, trading defenseman John Klingberg to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2025, defenseman Andrej Sustr, and the rights to forward Nikita Nesterenko. The 30-year-old Klingberg is in the final year of his current contract, which carries a cap hit of $7 million, and will be a UFA at season's end. It was always bound to happen. After a disappointing free agency this past summer that did not end in the long-term contract he was looking for, Klingberg signed a one-year deal with the still-rebuilding Ducks under the assumption that he would be dangled as a trade chip in the lead-up to the deadline. Klingberg has performed well enough to be a decent value get for a team like the Wild that is hoping to squeak into the playoffs and potentially make some noise. In 50 games this season, the veteran defender has racked up eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points while logging roughly 21 minutes in average nightly ice time. At this point in his career, Klingberg is a known commodity, an offensively focused defender who can quarterback a power play and move the puck up the ice at an above-average rate. Klingberg's success in his own zone, however, leaves much to be desired – a factor that has played a big part in his inability to land a long-term contract. On Minnesota, though, Klingberg will vie for a role on the top power-play unit and add another mobile defender on a banged-up Wild blueline. A strong finish to the season will do wonders in pumping up his value ahead of another foray into the open market.
