Klein, Girardi excel on Rangers’ blueline

November 27, 2014

by Pat Leonard, New York Daily News —

Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein on a power play together? Don’t laugh.

It might not happen in the NHL, but the two righthanded Rangers defenseman did play on a power play together, believe it or not, as teammates for the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm back in the 2004 Memorial Cup.

“Oh, yeah. Me and ‘G’-money at the points,” Klein said with a laugh. “I heard someone was lobbying for me to get some power play time here?”

Klein was joking, kind of. His four goals through 19 games so far are a personal career-high for an entire NHL season. Coach Alain Vigneault said recently that Klein isn’t a weapon he would use on New York’s power play. After all, he has just 21 career NHL goals in 452 regular season games.

Then again, Girardi remembers Klein’s offense as a major part of his skill set in the OHL. Reliable defense was Klein’s priority for the Nashville Predators under then-coach Barry Trotz when he broke into the league in the 2008-09 season, but it’s not like he doesn’t have the ability, Girardi says.

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