Senators Re-Sign Centre Chris Kelly

[Thrillhouse]

OTTAWA – Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced today the club has re-signed centre Chris Kelly to a one-year deal.

Kelly returns to the Senators for his third full season in the NHL. He recorded his best season in 2006-07, scoring 15 goals and adding 23 assists for 38 points in 82 games. The Toronto native also had seven points (three goals and four assists) while playing in all 20 post-season games.

In two full NHL seasons, and four games during the 2003-04 campaign, the 26-year-old has recorded 25 goals, 43 assists and 116 penalty minutes over 168 regular season games. Kelly also has contributed seven points (3-4) and six penalty minutes in 30 career playoff games. He has played in 164 consecutive regular season games and in every Senators post-season games (30) since the start of the 2005-06 season.

Kelly spent three seasons Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators – the last two as team captain in 2003-04 and 2004-05. He recorded 56 goals and 69 assists for 125 points in 208 AHL games. During the 2003-04 season, he was recalled to Ottawa on two occasions and made his NHL debut on Feb. 5, 2004, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kelly was Ottawa’s third-round pick (94th overall) in the 1999 NHL draft.

[paint huffer]

Kelly is an underrated role player for Ottawa so this is a key signing. One of the best penalty killers in the NHL, IMO. He could be a team leader in a few seasons if he sticks around long enough. He'll do it all (grind, fight, etc) when he has to and he's one of my favorite Senators for sure.

On a semi-unrelated note, I've never quite understood his intermittent visor usage, but it's always amusing to try to guess how many games he'll decide to wear it in the season versus not wear it (Redden is kind of like that too). A tad odd, but amusing nonetheless.

[Viper]

Great news. Kelly is a very important player, one of my favourites also.

[BGDDYKWL]

One-year, $1.265M

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Turned into a Kelly fan down the stretch and into the playoffs. Hope he has an even better year this year.

[IcePlayer]

Really pleased with this signing he is key to the PK and is a very agile skater.

[Isles4life]

I like Kelly. He doesn't get much credit, but he was a real valuable player for Ottawa.

[suckerpunch]

Well looks like he was the last FA to sign... I don't understand why he didn't get a longer contract....As others have said, he is a valuable player.

[paint huffer]

Originally Posted by suckerpunch

Well looks like he was the last FA to sign... I don't understand why he didn't get a longer contract....As others have said, he is a valuable player.

I'm thinking this might be a "feeling out" year. The parties may well have met in the middle in terms of salary, agreeing to alter it next year based on his performance. Just a hunch I got because I agree, I would have expected him to be resigned for longer.