Kleven is a big rangy defender who can skate and move the puck. He can also hammer the puck and plays a nasty physical game.
We didn't sign him because he didn't want to extend with a rebuilding team, at least not at what we were offering.
I wonder how differently it all turns out if the team were willing to offer a full NMC. That seemed to be the sticking point as I remember it. But oh well, no sense in rehashing old history, just glad the man's on the precipice of his first Cup. So deserved.
I would have handed him a no-trade cause like it was nothing. I remember people thinking he would age poorly due to his skating.... His stick and his mind are so quick that he slows down the game around him.
I have so many memories of him somehow floating just inside the offensive blue line. The defenceman would try to make a break out pass and Stone would pick it off walk in and score, he did it at least 10 times.
and we didn’t offer him a NMC…kinda like Karlsson. It’s no wonder neither of them accepted our offers, what a slap in the face
I'd have been shocked if he stuck around for whatever we offered him, but a nostalgic part of me would've be fine with im at $9.5 million for 4 more years. He never takes a shift off and is responsible on every end of the ice. Would've been captain as well.
Heatley wanted out because of Clouston, Melnyk wasn’t even divorced until close to 2 years after Heater left.
That seems to make sense as Heatley was an offensive player who wanted to score goals, not back check to prevent them. Very similar to Spezza. Cannot blame them as NHL teams pay scorers much more than defensive-oriented players. However, if a player wants to win the SC, then . . .
