Confirmed with Link: (Updated) Chris Kelly signs with Ottawa. 1 YR @ 900K

[whatsbruin]

I don't even know how to feel about this organization anymore.

I just... I just don't know.

First off, it is just in the Forum. Has any B's Mngmt made any comments about signing Kelly ? Perhaps, but I have not seen or heard any. Don't get so caught up in topics on the HF Forum.

 

[smithformeragent]

First off, it is just in the Forum. Has any B's Mngmt made any comments about signing Kelly ? Perhaps, but I have not seen or heard any. Don't get so caught up in topics on the HF Forum.

"I’m actually going to speak with Chris Kelly’s representative,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters over the weekend , via CSNNE.com. “We had great news that he was physically and medically cleared, so we’re going to have a discussion with them in short order.”

 

[BigBadBruin8]

I love Chris Kelly. Hell of a guy, obviously a great teammate, a good hockey player in the correct role, and a Cup Champion with the Black & Gold.

That being said, if he is re-signed, I will lose my f***ing mind.

Sometimes it is just time to move on.

 

[BruinDust]

Don wants Chris Kelly back.

Chris Kelly still wants to play.

My guess is his contract ask isn't going to be much, considering I doubt he gets any interest elsewhere. Maybe, maybe Edmonton, but it won't become a bidding war.

He's coming back. Book it.

 

[remer]

I can't imagine his speed will increase. He has slow foot speed and is not very offensively gifted.

I think it's a big mistake.

 

[Bad Hat Harry]

Weren't be *****ing about a lack of veteran leadership when we missed the playoffs?

And now we are complaining that they *might* be bringing back one of the biggest leaders on the team?

 

[BruinDust]

Weren't be *****ing about a lack of veteran leadership when we missed the playoffs?

And now we are complaining that they *might* be bringing back one of the biggest leaders on the team?

If he was even reasonably close to still being an NHL hockey player, at 800k no one would be complaining.

But he's not. You need to still be able to play the game, I don't care how great your 2nd period speeches are.

 

[remer]

Don't think leadership is the issue in Boston. It's talent.

The forwards don't have the speed to compete or the offensive skills.

The defense is a total mess and the goal tending was questionable when a big save was needed.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

If he was even reasonably close to still being an NHL hockey player, at 800k no one would be complaining.

But he's not. You need to still be able to play the game, I don't care how great your 2nd period speeches are.

Unless you've been privy to his rehab skates and know for a fact that he's significantly regressed, you're just bloviating. You have no clue what his ability level still is. He's likely at least a half step slower, but speed was never his weapon. I'm sure he's still "reasonably close" to being an NHL player. And I'm also sure that the Bruins won't sign him out of some sense of nostalgia. They'll put him through his paces physically to be sure he can still perform.

 

[BruinDust]

Unless you've been privy to his rehab skates and know for a fact that he's significantly regressed, you're just bloviating. You have no clue what his ability level still is. He's likely at least a half step slower, but speed was never his weapon. I'm sure he's still "reasonably close" to being an NHL player. And I'm also sure that the Bruins won't sign him out of some sense of nostalgia. They'll put him through his paces physically to be sure he can still perform.

Don't need to. He wasn't an NHL caliber player his last 30 something games in Boston before his injury. Doubtful his rehab miraculously set the clock back about 3 years.

 

[EverettMike]

Unless you've been privy to his rehab skates and know for a fact that he's significantly regressed, you're just bloviating. You have no clue what his ability level still is. He's likely at least a half step slower, but speed was never his weapon. I'm sure he's still "reasonably close" to being an NHL player. And I'm also sure that the Bruins won't sign him out of some sense of nostalgia. They'll put him through his paces physically to be sure he can still perform.

He was terrible before his injury. Small sample? Sure, but he was also terrible the second half of the season before that.

And now he's coming off of a major injury.

Claude overused Campbell when he was clearly toast. I'm terrified the leash a washed up Kelly would get.

It's time to move on. Even at no risk of cap issues, the head coach can't be trusted to sit him if that needs to be done.

 

[Hali33]

Weren't be *****ing about a lack of veteran leadership when we missed the playoffs?

And now we are complaining that they *might* be bringing back one of the biggest leaders on the team?

Well after two years in a row of the team flatlining their way out of a playoff spot and coming up small in big games, I'm not eager to see moves made with the intention of keeping the current leadership make up intact. I think it's time for change there and I'd like to see some younger guys stepping into a leadership role.

Besides, what are the odds he would even stay healthy long enough to provide leadership when necessary.

 

[BruinDust]

Well after two years in a row of the team flatlining their way out of a playoff spot and coming up small in big games, I'm not eager to see moves made with the intention of keeping the current leadership make up intact. I think it's time for change there and I'd like to see some younger guys stepping into a leadership role.

Besides, what are the odds he would even stay healthy long enough to provide leadership when necessary.

And he was right in the thick of things during Collapse 2015. Coming up big with ZERO goals, and TWO assist in the last 20 games.

Lots of good his leadership did during that run.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

Don't need to. He wasn't an NHL caliber player his last 30 something games in Boston before his injury. Doubtful his rehab miraculously set the clock back about 3 years.

We'll just agree to disagree. He wasn't 2011 Chris Kelly, but he was still a serviceable NHL player.

He was terrible before his injury. Small sample? Sure, but he was also terrible the second half of the season before that.

And now he's coming off of a major injury.

Claude overused Campbell when he was clearly toast. I'm terrified the leash a washed up Kelly would get.

It's time to move on. Even at no risk of cap issues, the head coach can't be trusted to sit him if that needs to be done.

Mike, I'm not saying I really want the bruins to sign him, but I do feel confident that if they did, they'd give him a more thorough go round than most other players.

I see so many people throw around the stat of 7 pt in 41 games (spanning two seasons btw). There's more to the game than just points. Other advanced stats showed that Kelly was an elite shutdown center (Ok, maybe not in the games he played in 2015, but to be fair, the entire team was a dumpster fire during that period)

 

[EverettMike]

Looking at it his relative Corsi and Fenwick percentages he has been bad for a few years.

And I can't stress my worry about giving him to Claude enough.

 

[BruinDust]

Looking at it his relative Corsi and Fenwick percentages he has been bad for a few years.

And I can't stress my worry about giving him to Claude enough.

He hasn't been an effective offensive player since 2012.

He hasn't been an effective defensive player since 2014.

Give him to Claude and he's centering the 3rd line in place of Spooner by the 10 game mark, if not sooner.

 

[bruinmann77]

If they resign him its back to the same old stuff this team needs to move forward and let the youngsters fight it out

 

[whatsbruin]

"I’m actually going to speak with Chris Kelly’s representative,†Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters over the weekend , via CSNNE.com. “We had great news that he was physically and medically cleared, so we’re going to have a discussion with them in short order.â€

Oh crap. I did not see that.
In regards to veteran leadership. If they need Kelly for that then something is wrong with Chara, Seids, McQuaid, Bergeron, Krecji,
and any other Bruin who has been on the team for more than 5 years.

 

[GloveSave1]

Even though you can totally see the Bruins bringing back this Clode legend...the narrative fits...I just refuse to believe it. I refuse.

But if they do, I'm sure I'll be PO'd two fold. He'll get more than a million. Count on that. He won't go from what he was making before to a million. They would willfully rehook themselves. Amazing!

This place would rightfully go bonkers.

But...ehh...not happening...*puts hands to ears and starts humming*

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

What is Sweeney doing? Why Kelly ain't signed yet?

 

[pierre gagnon*]

Because I think its a bad idea and makes no sence I know in this bizarro world it will

happen. Third line center for Kelly and Spooner will have to make it on Bergy's line as

the RW, or be trade bait. It all makes sence with Ferraro and Connolly being gone.

Seids, Liles and McQuaid will be back and Morrow and Chillier will share the 6/7th spot

all year, groundhog day. Claude will slow down the pace and get back to the checking

game that is successful right now(2012) and it will be great. Now were is the flux

capacitor and the Delorean.

 

[Sturm]

No...No.. No... why. Guy is a fringe 4th line Center at this point, who is broken down and can't play more than 40 games. Need to keep getting younger with guys who have upside in the bottom 6.

 

[Mpasta]

Weren't be *****ing about a lack of veteran leadership when we missed the playoffs?

And now we are complaining that they *might* be bringing back one of the biggest leaders on the team?

And he was right in the thick of things during Collapse 2015. Coming up big with ZERO goals, and TWO assist in the last 20 games.

Lots of good his leadership did during that run.

This is exactly it.

The Kelly contract felt like it went on forever. I couldn't wait for it to be over. Now it finally is and they're going to re-sign him. Will this team ever change? Or since CJ is the coach, it will be like groundhog day?

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

"I’m actually going to speak with Chris Kelly’s representative,†Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters over the weekend , via CSNNE.com. “We had great news that he was physically and medically cleared, so we’re going to have a discussion with them in short order.â€

If Sweeney makes this his priority, then I fully accept that he has no clue on what this team needs.

Bruins have plenty of leadership, we need talent, especially on the backend.

Leadership? We've had Bergeron, Chara, Seidenberg, Krejci, Talbot, Marchand, McQuaid all on various cup teams. If we need more leadership than that, then I don't know what else to say. We need talent to go with them. Not a guy that was on his last legs over a year ago.

 

[Nightslyr]

Leadership doesn't mean squat if you can't:

Put the puck in the opposing team's net
Stop the puck from going into yours

Chris Kelly cannot, at this stage, help either of those things. Pass on him.