Kevin Klein, the gritty, physical Rangers defender who helped guide them to a Stanley Cup appearance three years ago but whose nagging back injury slowed him down last season, announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday.
“Thank you to the fans of both cities [New York and Nashville] for their appreciation,” Klein, 32, said in a statement, also thanking his family, and the Rangers and Predators, with whom he began his NHL career. “I couldn’t have been happier to play in front of you. I’ll miss all the friends I’ve made along the way from the staff to the guys I played with .