Kevin Klein's National Hockey League career could be coming to an end.

The New York Post's Larry Brooks reports the 32-year-old New York Rangers defenceman is leaning towards retirement from the NHL and looking at playing next season in Europe.

A native of Kitchener, Ontario, Klein was a healthy scratch in all but one of the Rangers' postseason games this spring.

Klein appeared in 60 games for the Blueshirts this season, scoring three goals and adding 11 assists. He missed considerable time with a lower-back injury.

There is one year and $2.7 million remaining on Klein's current deal that comes with a $2.9 million cap hit. If he were to retire, that hit would come off of the Rangers' books for 2017-18.

Originally taken in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft out of the Ontario Hockey League's Toronto St. Michael's Majors by the Nashville Predators, Klein spent the first eight-plus seasons in the Music City before a January 2014 trade to the Rangers for fellow blueliner Michael Del Zotto.

In 627 games over 12 NHL seasons, Klein has 38 goals and 116 assists.