It is a new home for Parker Kelly as he signs with the Colorado Avalanche as an unrestricted free agent. Bringing in the energetic Kelly on a value contract is an easy decision for the cap-strapped team. Kelly signs a two-year deal worth $1.65 million (or $825,000 AAV).
#Avs sign Parker Kelly: 2 years x $825,000.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2024
The Colorado Avalanche Sign Parker Kelly
Parker Kelly is coming off of a decent season for himself as he signs with his club. He had back-to-back seasons of 170-plus hits, both times second place on the team to Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. The impressive part of these totals for Kelly is he does it very efficiently. Through his four years with Sens, totalling 177 games, he has averaged only 11:03 of ice time. His 11:42 in 2023-24 was a career-high. Furthermore, he was hitting career highs in many offensive categories as well this past season. Eight goals, ten assists, 18 points, 86 shots, 67 blocked shots, and 34 takeaways, were all career highwater marks also. Therefore, this signing is a nod to the Ottawa Senators player development staff as Kelly has established himself as a regular fourth-line option and penalty killer.
What Does This Signing Mean for Joe Sakic and His Management Priorities
This is not a flashy move, but it is an important one. This is the type of signing that brings a bottom line player who plays a responsible game at a cheap price. It is what Joe Sakic and his staff needed to do. Identify key depth pieces, at good value, and make them a part of the team to build upon. The Avalanche roster is strong but they don’t have a lot of cap space, so adding a fourth liner and penalty killer on a cheap deal was a priority this off-season. Kelly has an important role to play, one that is important in any organization.
Main photo credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
