Kelly rejoins Senators in post-playing career
Chris Kelly is coming back to the Ottawa Senators, but this time in an off-ice role.
The Senators announced Tuesday morning they’ve hired the former centre as a development coach.
The 37-year-old Kelly will join former Ottawa winger Shean Donovan to work with the prospects in the organization. Kelly spent part of last season with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville and won a silver medal with Canada at the Winter Olympics.
Kelly was picked by the Senators as the 94th overall selection in the 1999 NHL draft and his career comes full circle with this appointment. He finished last season with the Anaheim Ducks and didn’t look for a job in the league this year because he knew his playing career was over.
Kelly has always been a good self-evaluator and was aware — after 845 career NHL games with the Senators, Bruins and Ducks — the time had come to determine what was going to be the next step in his life.
“As it got closer to realizing my playing career was coming to an end, I knew I wanted to stay in the game,” Kelly said Tuesday after taking part in an informal skate at Bell Sensplex. “I love hockey, I want to be around it and this is just a great opportunity.”
Much of Kelly’s role will be focused on working with the club’s young players and helping them to get to the next level. He won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011 and nobody knows better than Kelly how far hard work can take you in this game.
He’ll try to pass some of that experience along to the young guys in the organization who are trying to get noticed by general manager Pierre Dorion and his staff.
“I was at the development camp helping out and I was extremely impressed by their prospects, not only on the ice but off the ice and how they conducted themselves,” said Kelly, who makes his home in Barrhaven.
“There’s little things that (Donovan) and I learned over our careers that we can help them on the ice and off the ice and wherever it’s needed.”
Kelly’s work will begin in earnest Thursday when the club’s top prospects — including Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson
There’s little things that (Shean Donovan) and I learned over our careers that we can help them on the ice and off the ice ...
and Alex Formenton — skate in Ottawa before heading to Laval, Que., to take part in a three-team rookie tourney Friday with Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs prospects.
He’ll spend time in Belleville and with junior players.
“I’m excited for this opportunity and I just want to try to do this job the best I can,” Kelly said.
Last year, Kelly took a step back when he went to the Edmonton Oilers on a free-agent tryout and was unable to get a job. He was sitting at home when former Senators assistant general manager Randy Lee called to offer the veteran centre a pro tryout contract with the newly formed Belleville organization.
Kelly was just what the young team needed in the dressing room, leading the way by being the first one at the rink every morning and the last one to leave. His stint with Belleville earned him a shot at playing in the Olympics for Canada in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
While Canada didn’t win gold, the silver-medal performance was memorable and a great way for Kelly wind up his career.
“It wasn’t the year I anticipated, but I don’t think I would change it because I got to meet so many good people and I got to do some things I never thought I would do,” Kelly said.
So what can he pass along to the young players?
“Last year I learned a lot, and I think the big thing is don’t let your pride and your ego get in the way because so many good things can happen if you’re able to do that,” Kelly said.
“I hadn’t played in the American League in 14 years and that was a difficult decision, but I didn’t want my pride to get in the way. I went down there, I had a good time and so many good things came of it. It’s just being a good pro and a good person because every organization wants good people.
“If I can help them with that then I think we’ll be doing our job.”
Kelly is back in the organization that has always felt like home.