In The Cheap Seats

Season Stats: 81 GP, 3 G, 16 A, 19 Pts +18

Minutes: 1666 total (2^nd among D), 16:20 EV, 1:15 PP, 2:59 PK, 20:34 ATOI

Splits:

1^st Half: 40 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 Pt, +14 38 shots

2^nd Half: 41 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 8 Pt, +4 52 shots

Linemates: Vaananen (50 games), Liles (16), Skrastins (5), Leopold (1) + 9 games at RW.

Career:

His 16 assists and +18 +/- ratings were both 2^nd best for his career, and his 81 GP were his most as a pro.

Report:

Was expected to be a 6^th or 7^th defenseman, but exceeded expectations on the ice and finished 2^nd on the team in minutes played…Led team in +/- with a +18…Doesn’t have speed, but probably played the best positional hockey of all the defensemen…Physical in his own end, leading the team with 107 hits…Unfortunately, had a propensity for taking bad penalties – his 34 minor penalties were tops on the team, and many came at very inopportune times…Played very well on the PK…Not much of a threat offensively…Played 102 minutes on the PP without registering a point…Joined the play more in the 2^nd half, but had more points in the 1^st half of the season.

Fast Fact: The team went 6-3 in the games where Klee played at RW.

Midseason Grade: B

Final Grade: B+

Defensively, Klee was probably the most consistent player throughout the season. Bad penalties and lack of offense are the two knocks against him in an otherwise solid year.

2007-2007 Salary: $700,000

2007-2008 Status: UFA (III)

Outlook:

It was Klee who approached the Avalanche about joining the team last summer (he lives in the area). With a good season, his asking price may be headed north a bit and the Avs already are crowded on the blue line, with 5 returning defensemen. Still, in the end, I think the chances are good that we’ll see Klee back in a Colorado uniform next year in a relatively cap-friendly deal.