The Avalanche have signed depth forward Parker Kelly to a two-year contract, per a team announcement. The deal is worth $1.65MM ($825K AAV), Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports.
Kelly, 25, became a UFA today after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Senators. Ottawa is where he’d spent the first seven years of his career after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017, slowly developing into an NHL regular over that time. Last season, he played in a career-high 80 games, notching eight goals and 18 points while proving himself as serviceable bottom-six depth.
A winger by trade, Kelly averaged 11:42 per game this year and put up passable possession numbers for his fourth-line minutes. The 6’0″, 190-lb forward lays the body well, recording over 170 hits in each of his last two seasons.
He’ll fit right into Colorado as a cheaper replacement for Brandon Duhaime, who signed a seven-figure AAV deal with the Capitals earlier today. And, solely based on last season’s results, he’s an upgrade both offensively and defensively. Kelly has a strong shot to begin the season on the Avs’ fourth line and will compete for playing time with players like rookie Nikolai Kovalenko and veterans Joel Kiviranta and Chris Wagner, the former of whom was brought back on a one-year deal today.
For less than a $1MM cap hit, it’s a tad puzzling why the Sens opted not to qualify him and retain his rights, especially when they signed his likely replacement, Noah Gregor, for $25K more against the cap. Kelly will happily take his services to Denver, where he provides the Avs with some much-needed cost-effective depth and gets a bit of security in the process with a two-year term. He’ll be a UFA upon expiry in 2026.
Don’t understand Ottawa letting him go. Was a perfect fourth line fit and at a good price. Certainly wasn’t the worst player on the Sens.