Klee Defends Curl-Salemme Hit: "She's Not Out There Obviously Trying To Hurt Anyone"

It was almost a year ago to the day when Minnesota Frost head coach Ken Klee addressed media answering to a check to the head delivered by forward Britta Curl-Salemme in the opening round of playoffs. That incident resulted in a one-game suspension to Curl-Salemme for her hit to the head on Toronto's Renata Fast. On Saturday, following Minnesota's 5-4 overtime win over the Montreal Victoire , Klee found himself delivering a nearly identical message again to media following another ejection for Curl-Salemme for a hit to the head, this time against Montreal's Kaitlin Willoughby.

The hit garnered a five minute major and a game misconduct on the ice. "Yeah, I mean, it's tough, Britta's awesome. She's a great great player, great person in our room, plays hard, plays the right way, plays physical," said Klee.

"I mean, she's not out there obviously trying to hurt anyone. She's out there just trying to play hard. " It was an echoed message from a year ago when Klee addressed media May 8, 2025.

"Britta's a hard player... " he said at the time. "For me it's just, it's one of those hockey plays.