When the Colorado Avalanche extended forward Parker Kelly to a four-year contract extension through the 2029-30 season, they were already pleased with his contributions to the team. As a bottom-six forward, expectations aren’t the highest, but Kelly has certainly made it known by his play that it was a good idea to extend him.
Through 65 games in the 2025-26 season, Kelly has 15 goals and 11 assists to go along with the second-highest average time on ice of his career of 12:44. However, that time is just one second behind his actual career-high of 12:45. He achieved an average time on ice of 12:45 last season through 80 games, when he scored eight goals and 11 assists.
It’s obvious by that stat right there that he is already outplaying his performance of last season, which is huge for the Avalanche. The Avalanche have a league-high of 244 goals for, and Kelly has a plus/minus of +10.
Kelly is also a key component in the Avalanche’s penalty kill, leading the team in penalty-kill minutes at 133. The team currently ranks fifth in the league on the penalty kill at 82.7 percent.
In comparison (though an unfair one), Nathan MacKinnon’s cost per point is $115,596, blowing Kelly out of the water, but that is not at all a surprise. Brock Nelson has 55 points on a deal that is currently paying him $7.5 million. That turns out to be $136,364 per point this season.
Kelly is just 26 years old, turning 27 in May. The Avalanche found a solid, reliable, and perhaps overachiever in a guy who they signed on July 1, 2024 as a free agent. To earn a contract extension is awesome. To earn it in such a fast fashion in Kelly’s position is phenomenal. They found somebody who Jared Bednar trusts a lot, too. I’ve heard several times from Bednar that he’s like “the Kelly line.” That goes a long way in a player’s confidence.
Kelly is versatile, being able to play on the wing or at center. He is second on the team in hits, trailing just Josh Manson in hits with 144, while Manson has 147. It’s important for the Avalanche to show toughness and grit, so having reliable physical players is key. It will also come in handy once the postseason arrives.
He even went out of his way to say that he would have signed a 10-year contract if it was an option.
While the Avalanche could have waited to sign Kelly until the offseason, getting it done early was a smart move, because at this rate, he would be forcing the Avs’ hand in the regard that they’d have to pay him a little bit more. The Avalanche have Kelly under a bargain of a deal, and we thank general manager Chris MacFarland for that.