The Oilers have signed Oscar Klefbom to a 7-year contract

Out of the blue, news broke this afternoon of the Oilers locking up 22-year old defenceman Oscar Klefbom to a 7-year contract extension.

Oilers and Klefbom have agreed to terms on a 7 year Contract extension. Deal to be finalized in the next 24 to 48 hours.

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) September 19, 2015

AAV on Oscar Klefbom deal will be $4.167 million. @TSNRyanRishaug first reported 7-year deal.

— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) September 19, 2015

At only 22 years old, this contract is one that could truly go both ways. If Klefbom continues on the path he has taken through 77 career NHL games, then this deal will end up being one of the best in the entire league in only a few years. The deal falls in line with what Adam Laarson of the New Jersey Devils and Jonas Brodin of the Minnesota Wild got with identical 6-year, $25 million deals. At the time of signing their respective deals, Laarson already had 192 NHL games played and Brodin a respectable 126 NHL games played.

In his own right, Klefbom has progressed very nicely despite only playing 77 NHL games and 57 in the American Leagues. In those 57 games however, Klefbom impressed many and quickly rose up the ranks in Oklahoma City. Even last season after the Oilers traded away Jeff Petry, a strong argument could be made for young Oscar being the best defenceman on the roster.

This year, Oscar Klefbom came in at #7 in Copper N' Blues Top 25 Under 25 and Flarwick had this to say about him:

Klefbom possesses all of the tools required of a top-4 defenseman in today’s NHL.  At 6’3’’, 210 lbs, he has the size to handle the rigors of the big, bad Western Conference.  With a long, smooth stride and the ability to make smart, crispy puck plays, Klefbom has the attributes to develop into a true top pairing defenseman – arguably the most coveted asset in the NHL.  If that development were to occur this year, the Oilers’ current group might stand a chance.

He’s a smart player who can add value in all three game states, and is poised to build off of last year’s successful campaign.  If he can find a way to add a little more offense at the NHL level and continue to improve his two-way game, the Oilers’ left side could be stabilized for a long time.  Here’s hoping.

At the end of the day, I think this is a deal that the Oilers will not regret. What do you make of this deal?