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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Centre Kielly Returns to Islanders Lineup

September 18, 2015 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


He returned this week from the Pittsburgh Penguins rookie camp and practised with the team Wednesday at the Eastlink Centre.

"It was a great experience," Kielly said of his time with the Pens. "I learned a lot, seeing the guys preparation and seeing how fast the game really is.

"It was a little confidence boost for me, knowing I can play at that level."

Kielly wasn't drafted in June, but received an invite to the Penguins rookie camp. The two-way centre, who is adept at winning faceoffs and often matches up against other team's top lines, said he's not worried about his hockey future.

"People are going to find you if you're good enough to sign a contract," said the 18-year-old Charlottetown native, who is entering his fourth season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. "My main goal right now is helping the Charlottetown Islanders have their best season yet."

It starts tonight when he makes his season debut against the Moncton Wildcats at 7 p.m. at the Coliseum.

"I'm really looking forward to this year," Kielly said. "There's a lot of expectations on us. . . I think we can prove a lot of people right."

He steps into a lineup that won its first two regular season game at home last week with six returning players gone to NHL rookie camps.

Defenceman David Henley has returned to Charlottetown while forwards Filip Chlapik (Ottawa), Daniel Sprong (Pittsburgh), Alexandre Goulet (New Jersey) and goalie Mason McDonald (Calgary) are attending full camps with NHL clubs.

Coach Jim Hulton liked what he saw in Kielly during his brief time with him during the preseason.

"He's the proverbial 200-foot player," Hulton said.

"I think he can contribute even more offence than what we've seen in the past. I think that's the maturation of his game, but I don't think he'll ever lose that gritty competitive element that makes him so attractive on a number of fronts."

He said Kielly brings intangibles, like leadership qualities, to the team and makes those around him better.

Line combinations will be a work in progress until the rest of the players return to Charlottetown.

Hulton said he liked what he saw when he shuffled the deck last weekend and came up with Mitchell Balmas skating between Oliver Cooper and Bradley Kennedy.

While Quinn O'Brien wore the captain's C for the first two games, no decision has been made for the season.

The team has 11 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies with the team.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from September 18, 2015


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