How's Ryan Ellis been?
- cranford93

invisible for the most part, 16 points in 49 games, though a bit better lately

How's Ryan Ellis been?
- cranford93

I think he is looking good from what I have read about him but I havent noticed him during the Avs Pred games this year so I dont know first hand.

Edit: As just mentioned above, apparently invisible but I keep on reading about how good he is going to be

Yeah, because if there's one thing Nashville is known for, it's offense.
- GOODPLAYA20

da fack does that have to do with anything?

Why? What are you scared of? His hair?
- Cptmjl

I think it might be because of his career high 27 penalty minutes a couple of years ago

They most certainly are, I'm so finished with Sather. That's what took him this long, to snag an average 29 yr old dman.
- pcjr307

kevin klein is a good player. nothing special or flashy, but neither is girardi or staal.

da fack does that have to do with anything?
- rangerdanger94

You said he'd develop into a top 20 offensive dman. On a team that makes the Rangers look like the 1985 Oilers...

Anyone want Kulikov?

kevin klein is a good player. nothing special or flashy, but neither is girardi or staal.
- rangerdanger94

I hope I'm pleasantly surprised in the end.

I think it might be because of his career high 27 penalty minutes a couple of years ago
- Vukota

He is such a bad man that nobody even bothers to mess with him.

Josi Weber
Del Zotto Jones

Not a bad top 4 on paper
- DDM-Coga

We had to have some D lefties...Jones, Weber, Kleiner, Ellis, and Barkley and 4 assorted Joe-Bobs in the AHL who will be pushing the bigs in 2+ years....all righties

Hopefully, Coach Housley will get hold of DZ and push his play.

You said he'd develop into a top 20 offensive dman. On a team that makes the Rangers look like the 1985 Oilers...
- GOODPLAYA20

it was mostly a joke based on how all young rangers players end up doing amazing after we trade them...but i do think MDZ will turn into a really good player over the next few years. nashville has 2 defensemen on pace for over 40 points at the moment too, and the rangers have only scored 6 more goals than them this entire season. so they aren't as offensively inept as you make it sound.

I hope I'm pleasantly surprised in the end.
- pcjr307

I wonder how many people's initial reaction was "who the hell is Kevin Klein? The actor?"

I think it might be because of his career high 27 penalty minutes a couple of years ago
- Vukota

he's not a fighter but he hits hard and plays physical. he doesn't take stupid penalties either.

He is such a bad man that nobody even bothers to mess with him.
- Pete V

That's what I figured. I really thought MDZ was gonna be a stud

Jan Levine: Michael Del Zotto Traded to Nashville for Kevin Klein
Fanbase's favorite whipping boy has been dealt
- airjan23

Wow that's it.....Ek had me believing Evander Kane or Dustin Byfuglien would be going the other way.

We had to have some D lefties...Jones, Weber, Kleiner, Ellis, and Barkley and 4 assorted Joe-Bobs in the AHL who will be pushing the bigs in 2+ years....all righties

Hopefully, Coach Housley will get hold of DZ and push his play.
- HockeyHop

Teach him how to keep the puck in the damn offensive zone once in a while...

That's what I figured. I really thought MDZ was gonna be a stud
- Vukota

Kulikov is available for some lime Gatorade...

he's not a fighter but he hits hard and plays physical. he doesn't take stupid penalties either.
- rangerdanger94

So its true then. You're afraid of guys with mohawks?

it was mostly a joke based on how all young rangers players end up doing amazing after we trade them...but i do think MDZ will turn into a really good player over the next few years. nashville has 2 defensemen on pace for over 40 points at the moment too, and the rangers have only scored 6 more goals than them this entire season. so they aren't as offensively inept as you make it sound.
- rangerdanger94

I gotcha. But Nashville plays a very defensive-minded system. Like Torts' system on steroids. And DZ's biggest issue was turning the puck over every 2 seconds. I think there's more risk for Nashville then there is for the Rangers here.

Kulikov is available for some lime Gatorade...
- Panthers88

Done, I'll even throw in the cooler

i think we will be pleasantly surprised with klein. he plays the right side, is capable of playing 20 minutes a night pretty solidly, and is physical and tough as fack. this could be a precursor to making girardi more expendable via trade or FA too, because i think klein is basically girardi lite only tougher and on a very affordable deal.

i wouldn't wanna get in a fight with this dude

- rangerdanger94

The mohawk was more for playoff hype than anything else. He inspired a lot of the guys to get one as well. (Note Hal Gill with the Klein-hawk sitting next to him) Klein is a really good locker room presence and a solid stay at home defender. He's vastly underrated.

Btw, this was on Monday:

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/121700

Good luck to Klein. We'll miss that Klein-hawk.

Kulikov is available for some lime Gatorade...
- Panthers88

Sorry we only have fruit punch...

A good grab for both teams but I think Del Zotto blossoms with Nashville and the trade favors them in the long run.

So its true then. You're afraid of guys with mohawks?
- Vukota

it is pretty intimidating

Done, I'll even throw in the cooler
- Vukota

Rofl woah woah woah..... if you toss in the cooler what do you expect back, our 1st?!

I gotcha. But Nashville plays a very defensive-minded system. Like Torts' system on steroids. And DZ's biggest issue was turning the puck over every 2 seconds. I think there's more risk for Nashville then there is for the Rangers here.
- GOODPLAYA20

more risk for sure, but i think MDZ will figure his game out and his potential is obviously higher than klein's. klein is what he is at this point and MDZ could turn into a stud. my gut says MDZ will make the rangers end up regretting this trade in the long run.