The Colorado Avalanche have been on a tear all season, leading the NHL in points at this point. Overall team success doesn’t just hinge on one player, as contributions from players across the organization equate to a winning season, which the Avalanche have had.
In hockey especially, teams need production from their bottom-six forward group in order to achieve sustained success over the course of an 82-game season. The team’s been steady all season, and one player has had a career year to this point. The Avalanche star players, like Nathan MacKinnon, are noticing and are appreciative of Parker Kelly’s efforts this season.
🗣️ Nathan MacKinnon on Parker Kelly 😂
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) March 4, 2026
"Impressive. He's always talking about how bad his contract is that he signed now. He's rattled about it, but it's ok. He's a team guy"#GoAvsGo | Powered By: https://t.co/YajEjwD3Ib pic.twitter.com/b1O5BiHBfK
Kelly has nearly doubled his career high in goals already this season, and he’s only played 60 games. His 15 goals rank sixth on the team. His previous career-high of eight goals was achieved the last two seasons, in which he played 80 games each.
He tallied 11 assists last season, a career-high, which will likely get shattered again this season, as he already has ten, with 20 games still to play.
He’s certainly been impressive.
The Camrose, Alberta, native has done all this while being a premier penalty killer for the team this season. His 133-plus minutes on the penalty kill leads the team’s forwards group. It trails only Brent Burns.
He averages 2:13 per game on the kill, which also leads the team’s forwards. Nearly half of his overall ice time comes from the penalty kill – 46.1% to be specific.
Kelly chips in offensively. He’s a stalwart on the penalty kill. He hits too. His 131 hits this season are second on the team and leads the forwards.
With numbers like those, any team would be very lucky to have a player of Kelly’s capabilities as part of their bottom-six group. The Avalanche smartly locked him into a four-year extension last summer that will kick in next season. It’ll pay Kelly $1.7 million per season, which more than doubles his previous deal, but certainly isn’t enough for a player the caliber his stats show Kelly is.
MacKinnon was right about how bad his deal is now, with hindsight being 20/20. The Avalanche brass certainly aren’t rattled about the deal though.
MacKinnon continued to say that Kelly’s a team guy, and his numbers agree. Bottom-six players are expected to be selfless and contribute where possible, whatever will help the team win.
With stats like Kelly’s, his major impact on the PK, and his willingness to throw his 185-pound frame around in the name of physicality, the Avalanche have a player other teams would covet.
It’s players like Kelly that will lead the team to success in the postseason, with all hopes pointing towards Lord Stanley.