John Klingberg Appears in 700th Career Game

San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg's future in the Bay Area is up in the air at this point, but head coach Ryan Warsofsky made sure to do right by him as the 2025-26 season came to an end.

Klingberg, who signed a one-year contract with the Sharks this past summer, entered the night with 699 career NHL games. He'll walk out of the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg having surpassed the 700-game plateau.

The Sharks allowed Klingberg to wear an "A" on his jersey in honor of the milestone. Warsofsky also spoke about the importance of Klingberg hitting 700 games pre-game:

Klingberg was never guaranteed an opportunity to reach the NHL, as a fifth-round pick, the odds were actually against him appearing in a single game. He earned a reputation for being one of the best offensive-defensemen in the NHL during his time with the Dallas Stars during the mid-to-late 2010s. He was a one-time All-Star with the Stars during the 2017-18 season and lead the league in assists by a defenseman that same season.

Unfortunately, Klingberg's career has been plagued by injuries and he's become a journeyman in recent history. He's played for five different organizations over the last four seasons, including the Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and of course, the San Jose Sharks.

This season, Klingberg has appeared in 56 games for the Sharks. He scored 10 goals, the most he's had since the 2022-23 season and the most he's had in a season with a single organization since the 2018-19 season. His 25 points were also the most since 2022-23 as well.

Although he produced at a high level offensively with the Sharks, his defensive game and tendency to turnover the puck did hinder his overall performances. As an unrestricted free-agent this summer, it's not impossible that Klingberg returns to the Sharks this coming season, but it's far from a guarantee. Regardless of what happens next, he hit a key milestone as a member of the Sharks organization.