Oscar Klefbom, the former defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers, has announced his retirement from professional hockey, as reported by Rasmus Kagstrom of Hockey Sverige. Klefbom, who has not played since August 2020 due to a chronic shoulder injury, opened up about his difficult decision to step away from the ice.

“It is as it is. I wasn’t quite done with hockey as a sport.

But now it’s over,” Klefbom expressed, reflecting on his premature retirement. He added, “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 with an injury. I gained a lot of trust, got to take part in a fantastic journey.”

Klefbom revealed that he contended with the significant shoulder issue for nearly all of his seven years in the NHL. He explained his delayed retirement announcement, noting a personal choice to maintain privacy about his career’s end.

“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,” he shared.

The Swedish native was drafted 19th overall by the Oilers in the 2011 NHL Draft and transitioned to North America in the 2013-2014 season after two additional years playing in Sweden. Although he spent his first season mainly with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons, Klefbom made substantial progress in his development, quickly becoming an integral part of the Oilers’ defense.

Throughout his 378-game career with Edmonton, Klefbom scored 34 goals and added 122 assists. Despite a career -64 rating, his on-ice performance helped drive the team, particularly in his roles on the power play and penalty kill units. He averaged over 22 minutes of ice time per game and posted positive possession metrics, indicating his effectiveness on the ice.

After his contract expired in 2023, Klefbom became an unrestricted free agent and spent the last three seasons on long-term injured reserve, grappling with his incapacitating shoulder injury.

Looking ahead, Klefbom expressed a desire to remain connected to hockey in some capacity, though it’s unclear whether this will involve roles in the NHL or back in Sweden. His departure from professional play marks the end of a significant chapter for both him and the Oilers, as the team bids farewell to a cherished player whose career was unfortunately curtailed by injury.