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AHL Belleville Senators

Kelly Set for Jump into Professional Ranks

July 3, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Belleville Senators News Release


Safe to say Parker Kelly's trophy cabinet grew a little in 2019.

The 20-year-old helped the Prince Albert Raiders claim its second ever WHL title with a Game Seven win over Vancouver that led to an appearance in the Memorial Cup in Halifax.

The Raiders went winless on the East Coast but it wouldn't be long before Kelly was adding space for another trophy.

In fact, it was one he had previously won.

For the second straight year, Kelly was named the hardest working player at the Ottawa Senators' Development Camp and thus the recipient of the Jonathan Pitre Memorial Award.

The award is named after Pitre, also known as the 'Butterfly Boy.' Pitre passed away in April 2018 from recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic mutation that causes the skin to blister and fall off at the slightest touch.

"You see some of those names on that trophy and see what they've gone on to do in the NHL and it's pretty motivating to consider myself in that company so it's pretty special to me," Kelly said. "Since I've come into the Sens' system I've been watching Mark Borowiecki and some of the other Sens guys to see how hard they work and what it takes to get to the next level.

"It's a really big honour and winning it last year was definitely a big motivation for me and that people are noticing my hard work so it's paying off. I have to keep working hard every day and things will happen for me."

Working hard Kelly is as he gets set for the full-time transition to professional hockey. After lodging a career best 35 goals in 2018-19 with Prince Albert, the Camrose, Alta., native noticed his improvement from the year before.

"I think I've grown both on and off the ice," Kelly said. "I've gotten stronger and I think I've got some more speed to my game now and some hockey IQ.

"I have to keep working on my hands but I'm feeling good about my game right now and I'm happy with where I am at."

Kelly got a taste of pro hockey at the end of the 2017-18 season where he played in five games with Belleville and scored his first professional goal too, a short-handed breakaway of all things.

"I think I'm ready to make that jump this year and hopefully I can do that."

With that trophy case expanding, in large part due to his hockey experiences, he is looking to make more space in his cabinet as he gets set for his rookie professional campaign.

"Obviously, the WHL run and Memorial Cup was a great experience for something that doesn't come around too often and I have to use that to my advantage," Kelly said.

"I know how to win now. Hopefully I can translate that to the next level and help Belleville get some wins next year."

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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