Parker Kelly knows what it is like to be a member of the Ottawa Senators when times are tough.
When he first left the only NHL organization he’s ever known and joined the Colorado Avalanche, Kelly’s feelings towards Ottawa were different than they are now. He’s one of several players in the Avs locker room who played for another NHL team — five years with the Ottawa organization, including 177 games with the Senators — and they all keep tabs on their previous clubs to some extent.
“When I first came here, I would always be watching the Sens games and, if I’m being honest, you’re kind of rooting against them,” Kelly said. “You have a sour taste. I wanted to stay there and they let me go. It got to the point where my wife was like, ‘Why are you rooting against them?’
“So now I just watch and I cheer for the friends that I stay in touch with, and I’m always looking to see what the score was, where they are in the standings.”
The Senators made the playoffs a year ago and appeared to be one of the NHL’s young teams on the rise. This season has not gone as well on the ice, and recently it has taken a sideways turn off it as well.
Ottawa was in Denver to play Kelly and the Avalanche last week when, shortly before puck drop, the club released a statement from general manager Steve Staios condemning rumors that were spreading like wildfire across the internet about his team.
It stemmed from speculation about why goaltender Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence, which included some salacious allegations that had nothing to do with hockey or the team’s performance on the ice. It would be hard to argue the Senators’ minds weren’t collectively elsewhere when the Avs crushed them, 8-2, that night.
That feels like a particularly thorny situation for an ex-teammate to watch from afar.
“You’re definitely not prying,” Kelly said. “If I see a friend score or something, I might text him. I kind of put myself in their shoes, though. When I was in Ottawa and we had bad years, people were always like, ‘What’s going on?’ And it was always, ‘I don’t know. We’re just grinding right now.’
“They’re struggling right now. I just try to keep my distance, just maybe check in or FaceTime with a certain guy to see how things are going with a certain guy, how the family is doing, but when times are bad, you kind of just stay away and let them figure it out.”
Victor Olofsson (95) of the Colorado Avalanche awaits a face-off against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Ball Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Victor Olofsson is watching a very different situation unfold in the same division. Olofsson spent six years in Western New York after being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres.
Those were all hard years, because the Sabres have the NHL’s longest playoff drought — 14 consecutive seasons. But the Sabres are experiencing a mid-season renaissance, having recently won 13 of 14 games to storm back into the postseason picture in the Eastern Conference.
“I do follow them,” Olofsson said, who spent last season with Vegas and is in his first year in Colorado. “Right now, it’s kind of hard not to with how they’re playing recently. I think it’s fun to see. I was there for a long time and I wish all of those guys the best. I actually texted a little bit with (Rasmus) Dahlin yesterday and just said, ‘Keep playing well.’ It’s obviously a lot of fun for them right now, and I hope they can keep it up.”
“There’s a lot of guys there that I’m good friends with (on Vegas, too). Hockey is a really unique job in life. You get to meet a ton of new people and get new relationships. It’s pretty cool, especially if you’ve been on a couple teams you get to know even more guys. It’s a been a fun few years with a lot of new faces and new friends.”
Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood has played for two other teams, and he is watching both ends of the spectrum unfold with them. The team that drafted him, the New Jersey Devils, is also experiencing a season from hell.
Injuries, trade speculation, poor performances — the Devils were expected to return to Stanley Cup contender status this season and instead began Thursday morning in 13th place in the East, one spot in front of Ottawa.
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“The farther removed, the less I pay attention,” Blackwood said. “But San Jose, I pay pretty decent attention to for a few reasons. I have friendships with a lot of those guys, so you pay attention to your buddies. Second, I just like watching what Mack is doing. And I like watching (Yaroslav Askarov) too.
“I have a few friends over there (in New Jersey) still. Obviously, you don’t want to see your buddies going through the turmoil that they are. At the same time, I haven’t been too invested in that one. I see things here and there, but I’m not entirely sure what’s happening. I feel bad for them. On the flip side, watching San Jose exceed expectations this year and seeing what Mack is doing, I’m kind of juiced. I love it. It’s awesome.”
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