Kevin R. Klein (born December 13, 1984) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...

who played for the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

and the

Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL). He was selected in the second round, 37th overall, by the

at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He completed his 15 year career playing two seasons as an alternate captain of the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL).

Playing career

Klein was drafted by the

in the second round, 37th overall, at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He played four years of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), three with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and one with the Guelph Storm. Following junior hockey, he played the majority of the next three seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville's

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL) affiliate. During the 2006–07 season on January 26, 2007, Klein scored his first career NHL goal, which came against the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...

. On July 16, 2008, Klein signed a two-year, $1.3 million contract extension with the Predators. He played a total 63 games with the Predators in the 2008–09 season. In the following season, 2009–10, Klein played his first full season with the Predators, recording two goals and 16 assists for 18 points in 81 games. In September 2012, Nashville signed Klein to a five-year, $14.5 million contract extension. He responded by scoring three goals and handing out 11 assists for 14 points in 47 games during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season. On January 22, 2014, Klein was traded by the Predators to the

in exchange for defenseman Michael Del Zotto. On December 9, 2014, Klein lost part of his left ear on a high stick in the first period of a game against the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

. He had it stitched back on, came back to play, and scored the game-winning goal in overtime. In the 2016–17 season, Klein suffered from back spasms and remained a healthy scratch by New York for most of the teams post-season run. In the offseason, on July 7, at the age of 32, Klein forfeited nearly $3 million in salary from the final one year left on his contract with the Rangers in announcing his retirement from the NHL. Having expressed desire in continuing his career abroad, on July 14, 2017, Klein signed a one-year contract with the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL). He made his NL debut on September 8, 2017, against the SCL Tigers at the Ilfis Stadium and scored his first goal that same day, an OT game-winning goal. After being crowned Swiss champion in April 2018, Klein signed a one-year contract extension with the Lions on May 23, 2018. Following his second season with the Lions, enduring a disappointing 2018–19 for ZSC in failing to qualify for the post-season, Klein announced his retirement from his professional career on March 25, 2019.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Kevin 1984 births Living people Canadian ice hockey defencemen Guelph Storm players Herlev Hornets players Milwaukee Admirals players Nashville Predators draft picks Nashville Predators players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States New York Rangers players Ice hockey people from Kitchener, Ontario Toronto St. Michael's Majors players ZSC Lions players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen