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<h2>Cult of Hockey podcast on Yamamoto, Jones, Wells, Mantha and Bear beating the AHL Flames

This in from various sources, that the Edmonton Oilers have a Professional Try Out agreement to Chris Kelly.

The Cult’s Kurt Leavins reports: “Confirmed: Chris Kelly on a PTO for the #Oilers. The Center will turn 37 this season. Won a cup with PC in Boston. Depth.”

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And the Journal’s Jim Matheson: “No surprise Peter Chiarelli has C Chris Kelly on PTO in Edm. Won Cup with him in Boston and knows him from Ottawa. Kelly is 37 in Nov.”

My take

No downside for the Oilers here. If there’s an injury or two in camp to one of the top four or five centres, Kelly provides insurance. He slots into the depth chart at centre somewhere between Mark Letestu and Brad Malone at centre. It’s hard to imagine Kelly will make the Oilers, but no harm in having depth options in camp at no cost to the team. Chiarelli had Kelly in Ottawa and Boston, so the GM is clearly connected to the player, and must have some time for what he brings. Perhaps this is just a favour to Kelly, to get him skating somewhere with an NHL team so that if there’s a job that pops open somewhere, he’ll be in a better position to grab it than sitting around at home and practicing on his own. Just going by the numbers, Kelly didn’t score much and didn’t win many face-offs. His coach used him must 11:56 per game. These numbers don’t tell us much, but they do speak of a player on his way out of the NHL. Kelly’s last really good NHL season was 2011-12, when he was 31. That year Chiarelli handed a four year deal at $3 million per with a no-trade clause. When Chiarelli was axed in Boston, the Kelly deal was one of contracts held up as a major part of his demise, helping to create an image of a GM who overpaid for veteran role players.

At the Cult of Hockey

STAPLES: State of the Union address from Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli on McD, Drai, RNH, Lucic, Puljujarvi and others

McCurdy: Yamamoto impresses but Butcher leads way in Oilers win over Flames at Young Stars

McCurdy: Oilers prospects series wrap

Staples: Hopes for each Oilers’ player in 2017-18

Staples: Door opens wider for Puljujarvi with Slepyshev injury