As the NHL free agency window opened the Colorado Avalanche had their work cut out for them. Wirh salary cap challenges at an all time high the stakes have rarely been higher. As the flurry of signings came in, one especially caught my eye, Parker Kelly. It looked like a good signing to this amateur GM, but it mostly caught my eye due to Parker’s last name, “Kelly”.
Most of you know that Dawg Nation began when we lost our own “Kelly” when Jack Kelly passed in April of 2010. When Parker slips on his new sweater this fall he will become the first ever “Kelly” to wear the burgundy and blue, and automatically becomes one of my favorite players!
But that was only the beginning of the no coincidences! After the signing I received a couple of texts about Parker Kelly from Humboldt families. Rhonda Tobin shared that her son, also Parker, was a good friend and long time teammate of the newest Av. That was followed up by a text Russ Herold that his son, Adam, also knew Kelly and had nothing but high praise for the new Colorado signing.
Parker Tobin and Adam Herold were two of those lost in tragic Humboldt bus crash and both are held close to the heart of Parker Kelly. So close that he still writes the initials (PT and AH) on all his sticks. Both the Tobin’s and Herold’s were guests of Dawg Nation this past January and I speak to both families on a regular basis.
On Tuesday, my phone rang and on the other end was no other than Parker Kelly. We had a brief but important conversation as we shared pictures and stories and made plans for a welcome dinner upon his arrival into the Mile High City.
Can’t wait to meet our newest Av and it looks like we have a new Dawg in the pack! Best of luck Parker!
