Kelly, McQuaid Excited to Carry on Tradition in New Roles

BOSTON - For the past two years, Chris Kelly has been the Bruins Player Development Coordinator, meaning his visits to TD Garden or Warrior Ice Arena were often spent with the club's hockey operations and front office staff.
The ex-forward's new role also meant the creation of an interesting dynamic for one of Kelly's close friends and former teammates whenever they'd run into each other around the rink.
"It's funny because Kells played with us and we were really close…and now he's like my boss," Brad Marchand joked back in June during an episode of 'Cue The Memories' - the Bruins' 2011 Anniversary Podcast. "I don't know how I'm supposed to refer to him when I see him - Boss Kells or what? Do I need to bow down to him? He's always trying to boss me around off the ice."

While Kelly wasn't quite Marchand's boss back then, he's about to take on that level of responsibility as he joins Bruce Cassidy's staff as an assistant coach this fall. But, according to Kelly, no one should expect his rapport with his 2011 Stanley Cup champion brethren to change just because he'll now be donning a suit and tie behind the bench.
"I think there's obviously that respect factor that we played together - we were fortunate enough to win together," Kelly said of Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, the only remaining holdovers from the 2011 championship team entering the 2021-22 season. "We've continued to stay friends over the last 10 years. Going into a coaching role with these guys still as players, I'm learning from them just as much as I hope I'm trying to teach them some things.
"They're obviously elite, elite players in the league and any way I can help them, I'm there - as well as the rest of the group. I've formed pretty good relationships with the younger players and other players in that locker room just being around the last two years. I don't see it being much of an issue. I'm just there to help the guys day in and day out."

While Kelly enjoyed his role in helping to craft Boston's young prospects, he missed that daily grind and the feeling of contributing to a team's success on a consistent basis. So, when a position on Cassidy's staff opened after the departure of Jay Pandolfo to Boston University earlier this summer, Kelly jumped at the chance to get back on an NHL bench and join fellow assistants Kevin Dean, Joe Sacco, and Bob Essensa.
"You're kind of in the fight with the players, in terms of you're there day in and day out," said Kelly, who was an interim assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators for roughly 20 games at the end of the 2018-19 season. "You can see the small differences that potentially help younger players grow their game. With development, there's that growth but you're not with them day in and day out.
"They're at their club team, they're in college, they're in junior. You're seeing them periodically, so you don't see the growth, I found, as much. When you're there every day, you can really help the players and really break it down a little bit more."
Kelly also arrives with an already stout understanding of how Cassidy and his staff operate on a daily basis having spent the last two years with the club's front office. The Ontario native also played for Cassidy as a 20-year-old with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.
"I was fortunate enough to play for Bruce my first pro season," said Kelly. "And watching his teams from afar, he's an excellent coach. Obviously, Hockey Canada thought so as well [by naming him to the Olympics staff]. His in-game adjustments, the way he plays on the offensive side of the puck as well as the defensive side…you've seen players thrive in his system stats-wise…I'm super excited to learn from all the coaches. They all do a fantastic job."
Kelly is not quite sure how his daily duties will be assigned just yet, but he expects that much of his focus will be centered on "the defensive side of the puck." The 40-year-old, who played 288 games with Boston from 2011-16, will also be in a unique position to guide players - particularly the B's crop of new free agents, including his former Senators teammate Nick Foligno - through what it means to don the Spoked-B, given that he was part of the leadership core who helped create the culture that still exists within the Bruins dressing room.
"You hear about the Bruins culture throughout the league…when you go other places, other organizations, they talk about it and it's a thing throughout the league, how well the Bruins treat their players and the way the players [conduct themselves] - it's a culture thing," said Kelly.
"That competitiveness that their top-end players bring each and every day…I think Boston's extremely fortunate to have the players that they have leading, not only the young players, but the new players that come in. I was one of those players. I came in and was fortunate enough to be part of that team that won.
"To see how hard they were working right after they won the Stanley Cup in the summer to come into camp the next season, I think it helped me maybe carve out a few extra years in the NHL because of the work ethic that they were able to instill in me as an older player. To be able to come back and try to help with that on the other side is great."

Adam McQuaid, one of Kelly's teammates on that magical 2011 club, will likewise be tasked with shaping that culture as he takes over Kelly's role as Player Development Coordinator. The former Black & Gold defenseman, who played nine seasons in Boston from 2009-18, knows as well as anyone how much hard work and dedication it takes to build a successful career in the National Hockey League.
"I think the Bruins are a first-class organization and have set the gold standard for success and the demands that the players bring each day and [how they] hold each other accountable," said McQuaid. "Having played there for a while, I got to see it firsthand. I think I can communicate that to the younger guys that are coming in, what the expectations are, hopefully help them reach their goal of playing in the NHL and being a Boston Bruin. All those things together make this opportunity really exciting."
McQuaid will likely spend the majority of his time in Providence helping new head coach Ryan Mougenel and assistant Trent Whitfield in developing the B's bevy of prospects at the AHL level. The 34-year-old will also do his share of traveling across North America - and the world - evaluating and mentoring the organization's prospects that are playing in juniors, college, or Europe.
"I talked to Kells a lot about what he was doing and, obviously, I still have a passion for the game," said McQuaid, who was on the ice for all five days of Bruins Development Camp earlier this month. "To be able to help out other guys and younger guys - I know at the junior/college level, there's lots to figure out, lots to learn, both on and off the ice. I felt like this would be a role that I could embrace and enjoy doing. Obviously, it's good to be back part of the Bruins organization. I'm really excited about that."