Parker Kelly

Parker Kelly Bio

Parker Kelly is a Canadian professional ice hockey player born on May 14, 1999. He plays as a forward for the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League (NHL), having previously played for the Ottawa Senators. Kelly began his professional career in 2018 and has continued to develop his skills in the league, recently achieving career highs in goals and assists during the 2023-24 season.

Early Life and Background

Parker Kelly was born in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. Growing up in Alberta, he played Bantam AAA ice hockey with the Camrose Vikings before being drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft by the Prince Albert Raiders. In his final full season with the Vikings, Kelly recorded 58 points through 31 games. Following the draft, he attended the Raiders’ training camp but was one of nine players to be returned to their AAA club. He then joined the Sherwood Park Kings and Camrose Kodiaks for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.
The following season, Kelly joined the Raiders for 68 games where he recorded eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points. His first career WHL goal came with nine minutes remaining in the third period of a game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on December 15, 2015. During his rookie season, Kelly was given the moniker “Pesky Parker Kelly” due to his scrappy style of play. He finished the year with two team awards: Rookie of the Year and Scholastic Player of the Year. He returned to the Raiders for his sophomore season, where he improved his offensive output and collected 22 goals and 43 points.

Path to Hockey

In his third season with the Raiders, Kelly concluded with 21 goals and 43 points in 72 games. On September 19, 2017, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators. After signing with the Senators organization, Kelly joined the Belleville Senators, the Senators’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, for five games. He spent the 2018-19 season with the Raiders before joining Belleville for the 2019-20 season, scoring ten goals and six assists for 16 points in 57 games. Kelly was again assigned to Belleville for the 2020-21 season, scoring 18 points in 33 games.
After the AHL season concluded, Kelly was called up to Ottawa in May 2021. He made his NHL debut on May 12, 2021, against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Senators’ final game of the 2020-21 NHL season, scoring on his only shot in the game despite playing 7:32 minutes. Kelly remained with Ottawa following training camp at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, playing as the team’s fourth-line center. On October 12, 2021, he signed a two-year contract extension and was assigned to Belleville on October 24, 2021.

Parker Kelly Career

Early Career (2018-2021)

Kelly’s early career included significant time with the Belleville Senators, where he served as an alternate captain. He played in 22 games with Belleville, registering nine points before being recalled by Ottawa on February 8, 2022. He returned to Belleville shortly after but was brought back up to Ottawa multiple times throughout the season. The 2022-23 season marked Kelly’s first as a regular in the NHL, primarily playing on the fourth line. However, he suffered a broken kneecap in March 2023, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Breakthrough (2023-2024)

In the final year of his contract with the Senators during the 2023-24 season, Kelly responded offensively, registering career highs with eight goals and ten assists for 18 points in 80 regular season games. He tied the team lead with two shorthanded goals and recorded his first career tally while shorthanded in Ottawa’s season-opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 11, 2023. Following the season, Kelly was not tendered a qualifying offer and became a free agent on June 30, 2024.
On July 1, 2024, Kelly agreed to a two-year, $1.65 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche. He made his Avalanche debut on the opening night of the 2024-25 season in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Kelly recorded his first goal with Colorado in a multi-point effort against the Washington Capitals on November 15, 2024. He demonstrated versatility throughout the season, finishing with career-highs in assists and points, and became the third player in Avalanche history to play at least 80 games and record at least 150 hits in his first season.