An Edmonton teen who stabbed to death a fellow teen in a "drug deal gone bad" was handed a 111-day sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

The 18 year old - who cannot be identified because he was 16 at the time of the March 10, 2013, slaying of Mohamed Jama Salad - has already served 74 days of the sentence in pre-trial custody, leaving him 37 days still to serve in open custody under community supervision.

He was also placed on probation for 12 months.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Paul Belzil described the case as a "terrible event" and a "truly tragic situation" with one young man being killed, "devastating his family," and another young man accepting responsibility.

Belzil said the killing could be called a "drug deal gone bad," but noted it was more about young people being involved in the drug trade and how the use of weapons in the illegal business leads to death and destruction.

"Two families have been destroyed," said Belzil, telling the many relatives and friends of the Somali victim that nothing he could do would change what happened.

The teen killer apologized to Salad's family before being sentenced and later shook the hand of the victim's father.

Crown prosecutor Kevin Mott told court the plea was accepted on the basis of "excessive force" being used, despite there being elements of self defence involved, and said the jointly proposed sentence came as a result of a "true plea bargain" in the face of "triable" issues.

"No sentence imposed can ever equate to the value of a human life," said Mott, adding that Salad - who was described by his father as a "good son and a happy and quiet young boy" - was "far too young" to die.

According to agreed facts, an arrangement had been made for an unknown individual to purchase marijuana from a resident at a north Edmonton home and the teen put a small knife in his pocket for protection before going into the alley behind the home to facilitate the sale.

In the alley, he noticed a car with three males, including Salad, in it and two of them came out. A discussion over the transaction then turned into a disagreement.

Court heard the dispute turned physical and the teen felt threatened by the three-on-one situation. He also believed one of the males had a knife. The teen was hit around the face and head by at least one of the males.

"To defend himself, (he) grabbed his knife and swung at Mohamed Jama Salad," said Mott, adding an autopsy concluded that the victim was struck four times by the knife, including two stab wounds that penetrated the chest.

The teen then returned to his home and came back out with his brother and further argument happened in the alley before Salad was placed in the car by his two associates and they hastily left the area, said Mott.

The pair later pulled into a restaurant parking lot and called 911 and Salad was pronounced dead at the scene.

Defence lawyer Akram Attia told court a family member told his client to go into the alley and do the drug deal.

Attia also told court the teen has done very well since the incident and said he will be "haunted forever" by it.