San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg didn’t hold back when he told SHD what was going wrong that led to him being a healthy scratch.
The Sharks defenseman hasn’t played well of late, and knows it. He was frustrated with himself and will use the benching as motivation. Both Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren will play against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
At 33, Klingberg has seen the NHL change in many forms. As you’ll read in this conversation, Klingberg knows he can’t be doing too much.
Here is my conversation with the San Jose Sharks d-man after morning skate.
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Max Miller (MM): How did the reset and watching one game from up top feel?
John Klingberg (JK): “It sucks. Sucks, but it is what it is. Come back in and try to build on my game.”
MM: What is the message from Coach Warsofsky about what he wanted you to see during this reset?
JK: “Well, I think it’s been pretty inconsistent. That would probably be it. I take so much pride in my game, and I think sometimes I have to probably put a leash on myself. I’m trying to do a little bit too much, and I guess it kind of looks careless and shit from the outside.
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For me, it’s more about competing and trying to be involved and be a difference maker. But it doesn’t work that way. The game has changed a little bit, too, since I came into the league. There’s so much more north-south now. I mean, it was North South back then, too, but a bit more room to maybe be east west and make those plays. But now the game, I feel like, every team in the league takes so much pride in forechecks. The puck needs to get deep in their zone to be able to create.
It’s almost the same in PP. It’s tough to create a play, draw up a play, because the PKS are so good. All these seam passes and open net tap ins and the PP comes from a shot attempt and then creating a second opportunity, where they’re struggling to find their spots, and all of a sudden you have a tap in on the back door. I feel like that’s the same way now, five on five.
It’s tough to come in, create an entry, and then score off of that. It has to be puck won from a forecheck, or anything, to be able to create a scoring chance from that. That’s part of it is being more involved in that team game and then creating opportunities from there.
Right now, I feel like I’m chasing the game a little bit and trying to create a little bit too much, and that’s when those obvious mistakes happen. The puck goes the other way. It’s been a part of that.
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I think defensively, it’s been pretty solid. Obviously, my game is with the puck offensively and trying to create, but defensively, I feel like it’s been pretty good. The PP, I think it’s been okay as well. I think we just need to create more. Because I think entries are good. We’re getting in the zone and all of that. Just creating that second opportunity is going to be huge on the PP.”
MM: You mentioned putting a leash on yourself. Did you feel like you were struggling and trying to do too much to get out of it? Kind of like ‘I gotta make a play’?
JK: Yeah. I know my game. It’s the same for every player; if you think too much, it doesn’t work that way, but if you just play, let the game come to you. That’s when you play at your best. If you ask any player in any sport, when they play their best and perform their best, they usually don’t think at all.
That’s probably what I’m going to try to do. I’m just going to try to go out there and play the simple game and then just let the game take over and build on that.
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I mean, it might not happen in one or two games, but just keep building on that game, and make less mistakes in the long run. That’s just going to create confidence in my game that I’m going to be able to take a step forward.”
MM: You mentioned people saying things on the outside?
JK: “I don’t know that. I don’t know that, but I’m just saying, when those [big] mistakes happen, that’s pretty obvious. So it’s an obvious mistake, and those are the ones that I have to limit.”
MM: Even when you go over film with coaches and they point out your mistakes, how do you prevent yourself from beating yourself up too much?
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JK: “I think it comes back to the simple game is a good game too. Like if I see a chance to create, maybe don’t try to force it, just let it happen, if it happens. But maybe then just put the puck down deep again and then let the forwards work on it, instead of me trying to create from the blue line, and then it turns over into two and one the other way. Those are the things that I’m gonna have to limit a little bit. Which I am gonna do.”
MM: You and I have talked about keeping the joy of the game. It sounds like there was a lot of frustration on your part, like self-criticism. Is tonight a night where you have to try to simplify and have fun again?
JK: “Yeah. Easier said than done, but that’s what’s gonna happen here. I’m gonna have to try to just go out there and, like I said, let the game come to me. Don’t try to force too much. Just go out there, and even if there is a four-on-three, and I know that it’s a risk play, just put it down deep.
It’s tough for me to say that, because you want to create, but that’s just how the game is now. It has changed, and the forecheck is a big part of it. So it’s okay to put it deep and let the forwards go to work for it.”
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Klingberg was put back on the San Jose Sharks’ top unit during morning skate. Ryan Warsofsky said changes were coming after the team’s last win over the Utah Mammoth.
The forward group remains the same with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Alexander Wennberg, and William Eklund on the top unit.
Klingberg said he didn’t believe his scratching was because of the power play, but rather because of his 5-on-5 play. During SHD’s conversation with Klingberg, other reporters joined the scrum and asked the Sharks’ d-man about how the communication has been with Warsofsky.
“Well, absolutely, it was [open] before too, but I think also he’s still getting to know me. I’m still getting to know him a little bit,” Klingberg said. “We’ve had a great relationship so far. If there’s something on your mind, I don’t feel like I’m not gonna go and talk to him about it. So it’s been a good talk, and I’m ready to move on and try to play better hockey.”
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Puck drop is at 7 p.m. and will be exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu.
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