Former Bruin Chris Kelly Returns To Ottawa On One-Year Deal
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Chris Kelly's tenure with the Boston Bruins is over, as the 35-year-old veteran forward has signed a one-year deal to return to the Ottawa Senators for $900,000.
Kelly was a key contributor to the Bruins' Stanley Cup championship run in 2011, when he was acquired in a trade for a second-round pick, and also in their 2013 run to the Stanley Cup Final. While much-maligned by radio hot-takers for his $3 million cap hit from 2014-2016, Kelly contributed in ways that don't show up on stat sheets or make your eyes pop. He excelled at killing penalties and embodied Bruins blue-collar toughness. You may not need to overpay for a player like Kelly, but players of his ilk are absolutely essential to a championship roster.
The Bruins seemed to miss Kelly's vocal leadership qualities down the stretch of the 2015-16 season while he was recovering from a broken femur. Kelly was your classic "glue guy" who held teammates accountable and his absence, along with the departure of guys like Shawn Thornton and Andrew Ference, ostensibly created something of a vacuum in the Bruins locker room.
This is what makes the Bruins' David Backes signing more important and valuable than you may think. Also, keep an eye on free-agent addition Riley Nash as the guy to take over a lot of the roles Kelly filled.
Kelly struggled to stay healthy or produce consistently in the final five years of his Bruins tenure, but he gave the team a lot of qualities that were invaluable and his impact on the 2011 Cup run did not, and will not, go unnoticed.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
