[ANTHONYD]

Ken Klee

Sports Ticker
3/8/2006 9:15:50 PM
TORONTO (Ticker) - The New Jersey Devils are hoping general manager Lou Lamoriello has broken out of his slump.

After a number of unsuccessful offseason signings, Lamoriello on Wednesday acquired defenseman Ken Klee from the Toronto Maple Leafs for right wing Aleksander Suglobov.

Following the retirement of Scott Stevens and the departure of fellow defenseman Scott Niedermayer via free agency last summer, Lamoriello signed defensemen Vladimir Malakhov and Dan McGillis as well as high-scoring right wing Alexander Mogilny.

The moves did not pan out for the Devils as Malakhov retired after just 29 games, while McGillis and Mogilny both were placed on waivers before being assigned to the American Hockey League.

Klee brings some offense to New Jersey's blue line, having collected a career-high 29 points for Toronto in 2003-04. This season, the 34-year-old had three goals and 12 assists in 56 games.



A ninth-round pick of Washington in 1990, Klee has collected 50 goals and 155 points in 692 career games with the Capitals and Maple Leafs.

Suglobov, 24, was a second-round selection of the Devils in 2000. The Russian scored a goal in his only game with New Jersey this season while notching 25 tallies and 23 assists - both team highs - with Albany of the AHL.