NHL Notes: Rangers D Kevin Klein Retires After 12 Seasons

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein has retired after playing parts of 12 seasons in the NHL.

The Rangers announced the retirement of the 32-year-old on Friday.

Klein played in 627 career NHL games with the Rangers and Nashville Predators, totaling 38 goals and 116 assists. He made his NHL debut with the Predators on Dec. 3, 2005, 10 days shy of his 21st birthday.

The Rangers acquired him on Jan. 22, 2014, and he skated in 224 regular season games, registering 22 goals and 50 assists, along with a plus-49 rating. During his tenure in New York, Klein led Rangers defensemen in even strength goals (22) and game-winning goals (eight).

Klein was bothered by back spasms this past season and had three goals and 11 assists in 60 regular-season games. He played in one of the Rangers' 12 playoffs games and had an assist.

Klein helped his team advance to the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons in the NHL, including each of his four seasons with the Rangers. He played in 73 career playoff games with four goals and 15 assists. He helped the Rangers' reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

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The 37th overall pick in the 2003 draft, Klein helped the Predators advance to the playoffs three times.

"I would like to thank both the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers organizations for giving me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of playing in the NHL," Klein said in a statement (see full story).

Marcus Johansson caught off guard by trade to Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- After winning Presidents' Trophy and losing in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs two years in a row, Marcus Johansson knew the Washington Capitals were going to make changes.

Coming off a career-best season, the 26-year-old Swede just didn't think he would be one the guys leaving Washington.

After being surprised Sunday by a deal that sent him to the New Jersey Devils for two 2018 draft picks, Johansson said Friday he's looking forward to the chance to play for a rebuilding franchise that finished last in the conference this past season.

Johansson was asleep when the trade was made, admitting it took him time to come to grips with it.

"I was still half asleep when I saw it. At first you are in shock, and you have to try to figure out what is going on," he said in a conference call from Sweden. "You try to go through all the texts and everything to see what is happening."

Devils general manager Ray Shero picked up Johansson because the Capitals faced a salary cap crisis after signing center Evgeny Kuznetsov to a $62.4 million, eight-year deal.

That made Johansson expendable and the deal was made (see full story).

Mikhail Grigorenko returns to Russia with CSKA
MOSCOW -- Former Colorado Avalanche center Mikhail Grigorenko has returned to Russia, signing a three-year contract with Kontinental Hockey League club CSKA Moscow.

Grigorenko had been an unrestricted free agent in the NHL after his contract with Colorado expired.

Grigorenko came to the NHL in 2012 as a first-round draft pick but struggled to live up to expectations during three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and two with the Avalanche.

He scored 10 goals and 13 assists in 75 games for Colorado last season. In total, he has 22 goals and 42 assists from 217 NHL games.

CSKA did not give any information about salary.

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