FTB: Where'd he go Wednesday

Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

It's Wednesday, and with nothing going on at the moment it's time to take a trip back in time to find out what happened to one particular Leaf.

This time it's back to the mid-2000s, and a player that was a Maple Leaf on the final cap-free team and the first cap-handcuffed team: Ken Klee!

First off, what a fun name to say.

Second of all, I forgot he was a Leaf for all of two seasons.

Ken Klee was a defender taken in the ninth round of the 1990 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals. After two more seasons of NCAA hockey at Bowling Green, he would turn pro and head to the Capitals farm team. First the Baltimore Skipjacks, then to the Portland Pirates before sticking with the big team for eight full seasons, before leaving as a free agent in 2003.

He joined the Leafs during training camp, signing at the end of September, and would have the experience of being on the last really good Leafs team (2003-04) for a long time and being on the first of a long line of lousy teams (2005-06).

What a brave soul.

He wouldn't even finish that first terrible season as the Leafs would trade him to the New Jersey Devils at the trade deadline for Aleksander Suglobov.

This would be the first of many short stints on teams. Before he retired in 2009 he would play for the:

New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, Anaheim Ducks, and Phoenix Coyotes.

Five teams in three seasons, and yeah I would retire too.

So, after retirement what came next? Investment banking? Team sales? Community ambassador for the Washington Capitals?

No!

Coaching!

But not just the usual college/minors/junior coaching we usually see.

He started his coaching career with the US National Women's team at the Four Nations Cup and Women's World Championships, and won two gold medals on 2014/15. An impressive start to his post-playing career

Two seasons with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, and a couple more with junior programs in Colorado, he made a big jump to becoming the second Head Coach of the PWHL Minnesota Frost, joining the team a week before their first game, and leading them to the first ever Walter Cup in the unnamed first season.

Then, things got weird for the Frost. Many people were fired, in what people called a power struggle between Klee and General Manager Natalie Darwitz.

Klee survived as Darwitz was let go, and he seems to be getting along with new GM Melissa Caruso.

Ken Klee went from stalwart Capitals defender, to NHL vagabond, to championship winning women's coach.

Klee will be back in Toronto on Sunday, March 9th with the Frost for a 1PM matinee against the Toronto Scepters.

That's where he went, and now here's some other things.

I love the images of outdoor hockey, I love the mythical stories we give it, but I'm too old and too cold to bother.

However, plenty of much stronger willed people than myself will be out in New Brunswick to find out who's the best team in the world on outdoor rinks.

Is the Four Nations Face Off injuring too many people? Good! I'd say if the list didn't include Auston Matthews.

Everyone loves minor-minor-minor leagues and if you don't, figure out your issues.

After setting almost every record he could, Alex Steeves has finally been called up to the Maple Leafs. Nick Barden has the story but The Hockey News links are weird in Ghost so here's a skeet about it.with a link.

Finally, despite what some try, hockey is for everyone, and Saskatchewan Blind Hockey is fundraising to bring the game to a whole new group.