Oscar Klefbom is not used to being in his home country of Sweden in March and early April. The Edmonton Oilers defenseman is also trying to get used to practicing social distancing and wrapping his head around the idea of possibly playing NHL hockey late into the summer.
"It's really weird to be home at this time of year," Klefbom said Friday from Karlstad, Sweden, where he, his girlfriend, Maja, and dog, Mysan, headed when the NHL paused its season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. "And when you've been playing some good hockey you deserve to be on the ice for the most exciting time of the year. We're just going to ride this out, take one day at a time. I think all the players in the whole league want to get back playing."
He used the same word -- weird -- when it came to the idea of the NHL season and Stanley Cup Playoffs going well beyond June.
"It's going to be really weird to go in there and play until maybe late August ... but you want to go into the playoffs," Klefbom said. "We deserve to be in the playoffs. We've been having a good year, and this should be, and would have been, the most interesting part of the year for us."
The Oilers (37-25-9) are second in the Pacific Division, three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights. Had the season continued, the Oilers would be playing their final game Saturday at the Calgary Flames. They instead are scattered around the world, hoping they will get to resume the season and their chase for Edmonton's first Stanley Cup championship since 1990.
"I heard Connor [McDavid] say that if we start playing again it's probably going to be the best playoffs ever; everyone [will be] healthy and well rested," said Klefbom, who has 34 points (five goals, 29 assists) in 62 games this season. "It would be very fun and very exciting to go into a playoff when everybody is feeling fresh."
Klefbom, who missed nine games from Feb. 19-March 5 with a shoulder injury, said he has been able to heal at home in Sweden but is itching to get back to his NHL city.
"It's easy to stay in shape, but you want to go back to Edmonton and start playing again," he said. "That's what I'm living for, trying to stay in shape for. You want to go back and be around the guys, be in the locker room and obviously start playing."
Until a resumption is possible, the 26-year-old said he's focused on being cautious around others and making good decisions.
"I've been up in my family's cottage up north, tried to stay away from a lot of people, obviously, and big crowds," he said. "It's crazy times. ... We just have to try and make the best of the situation. I've tried to stay away from any older people and a lot of people. It's weird, but I think it's very important that everybody is taking this seriously."
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