Oilers’ Oscar Klefbom has season-ending shoulder surgery

Edmonton Oilers' Oscar Klefbom will play right up until his scheduled surgery to deal with a nagging shoulder injury. The defenceman will then miss the remainder of the season to recover.

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom had shoulder surgery, the team announced on Thursday. He’ll miss the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old won’t be cleared for workouts for another five to six weeks. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported that Klefbom had a cortisone shot earlier in the season before having what Oilers coach Todd McLellan called “a small procedure” last week.

It was decided that with the team not in playoff contention, the time was right to fix the shoulder injury.

“Me and Larsson played a hell of a season last year. We showed everyone we are a (pairing) to count on. When we play good hockey we can get within a game of a conference final,” Klefbom told reporters earlier this month. “I want to get back to that, but then I have to be 100 per cent. I cannot go back (next season) and be 75 per cent, stay out of battles, and wait. I have to be 100 per cent.”

The Oilers currently sit 24th in the standings with 69 points and have nine games left in their season.
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