Time's running out for Kelly, who will turn 38 in November. He finished the 2017-18 season with Anaheim, where he notched two assists in 12 games on the fourth line. Kelly waited until after the 2018 Winter Olympics to sign an NHL contract, as he recorded three points in six games for Team Canada. Kelly still is unemployed this offseason, and if he does land with a new club, he'll stay out of the fantasy realm.
A versatile 35-year-old forward, Kelly returned to Ottawa last year after five seasons with the Bruins, the most recent one cut short by a broken leg which limited him to just 11 appearances, though he did managed to score two goals. Kelly will reprise his role as a bottom-six player with penalty-killing duties, playing a part in the team’s commitment to improving its defensive play. He won’t score much, leaving fantasy owners uninterested, but he’ll provide real-life value with his experience and leadership.
Kelly, who is coming off a 2014-15 campaign in which he notched 28 points in 80 games while largely working on the Bruins' third line, remains under contract with the team for another season at a $3 million salary cap hit. While that number is rich for a player with his modest upside on offense, the 34-year-old still owns a set of solid wheels and a decent enough offensive skill set, supplemented by his ability as a penalty killer and the leadership he brings to the team's re-tooled forward corps. It's quite possible that Kelly could see fourth-line duty this coming season, and in such a scenario he'll be off the fantasy radar. That said, Kelly has the versatility to move up and down the team's lineup when injuries necessitate line shuffling.
Kelly, who is bouncing back from surgery on a herniated disc in his back, is coming off a season in which he recorded nine goals and 18 points in 57 games while working on the Bruins' third line. It's a role that the 33-year-old is set to reprise and while Kelly still possesses a set of solid wheels and decent offensive skillset, it’s his ability as a penalty-killer and his leadership that keeps him on board with the B's at a $3-million salary cap hit.
With just three goals nine points in 34 games last season, Kelly was well off his 2011-12 pace of 20 goals 39 points in 82 games, but he continues to be a valuable role player for the team, given the solid combo of speed and smarts he brings to the table. Look for him to work on the Bruins’ yet-to-be-configured No. 3 line this coming season, a unit that has nowhere to go but up after being a largely inconsistent trio this past season.
Kelly, who posted career highs in goals (20), points (39) and plus/minus (plus-33) this past season while playing in all 82 games for the Bruins, was rewarded for his fine effort with a four-year, $12 million contract extension. Look for Kelly to spend most of his time next season on the B's third line, where his speed, smarts, and solid touch around the net will continue to come in handy for the team and its well-balanced attack.
Kelly was brought in by the B's for the stretch run to add center depth and character to the team's forward mix and he delivered just that, more so in the playoffs, where he racked up five goals and 13 points in 25 games. Kelly isn't going to put up big fantasy numbers in his first full season in Boston, but he's a savvy player with good wheels who is a very nice role player for the defending champs.
Kelly had a nice bounce-back season in 2009-10, potting 15 goals and adding 17 assists. He doesn't play on either of Ottawa's power play units, but does see a significant amount of time on the penalty kill as he's one of the best defensive forwards on the team. Kelly should be able to net at least 10 goals and upwards of 25 assists this year.
Kelly is one of Ottawa's best penalty killers and can be relied on to be the defensive conscience on any line he plays with. That being said, he's not going to light it up offensively. He'll likely center the third line and will see little, if any, power-play time. Kelly might hit 30-35 points, but that's his ceiling.
Kelly, who signed a new four-year contract with Ottawa in the offseason, is one of Ottawa's best penalty killers and can be relied on to be the defensive conscience on any line he plays with. That being said, he's not going to light it up offensively. He'll likely center the third line and will see little, if any, power-play time. He'll never be a fantasy star, but he's a player any team would kill for. He should crack 30 points with 40 being his upper limit.
Kelly made a name for himself last year as a penalty killing specialist and this year shouldn't be much different. He'll once again center the third line most nights and won't see very many power play minutes. He should be able to hit 10-15 goals with 20+ assists and a good plus-minus rating.
Kelly should once again center the Senators' fourth line, so don't expect a huge increase in his point totals. He will be called upon to kill penalties and provide the occasional boost in offense should the game call for it.
