51黑料

Kelly, who was ousted in 51黑料 in July when it was announced the broadcasts are being consolidated to radio and TV simulcasts instead of separate productions, has been hired as the Kings鈥� TV play-by-play voice in a move announced Thursday.

He鈥檚 set to call about 60 regular-season and two exhibition games, plus first-round playoff contests if the Kings qualify. He hasn鈥檛 said much publicly about his ouster in 51黑料 after more than two decades of service with the team for which his father, Dan Kelly, was a legendary broadcaster, but addressed the matter more in-depth now.

He said while it was a shock to get the news of his ouster, he and his wife quickly turned their focus to finding another job.

鈥淚 was very obviously surprised, and it was disappointing to say the least,鈥� he said Thursday of being told he was gone. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect it, I was fully anticipating coming back. Then the Blues made a decision to go to one broadcast team and that was certainly their right to do that and unfortunately I wasn鈥檛 part of it. So my wife and I ... we just took the approach that instead of focusing on what happened that day 鈥� we had 21 great years in 51黑料 with (general manager) Doug Armstrong and the Blues鈥� organization, the players, the coaches, treating me great. Everyone at FanDuel, and we had a lot of great times.鈥�

Kelly, 65, was intent on continuing his career somewhere in the NHL.

鈥淢y main focus was trying to get another job,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I was determined to try to do. Some people on the internet thought I was going to retire, but that鈥檚 the last thing I was thinking about. I love doing the job and love the NHL and I鈥檓 not even thinking about being retired.鈥�

He said he quickly turned his attention to job hunting and knew the Kings position had been open after the retirement of Nick Nickson. The process played out over several months and he now is back in the NHL.

鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled and it鈥檚 a tremendous market,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e had a great history of broadcasters there and I鈥檓 just really, really happy to continue as a broadcaster in the NHL.鈥�

The Blues and FanDuel Sports Network said at the time of Kelly鈥檚 ouster that it was a mutual decision, with team president and CEO Chris Zimmerman adding he 鈥渄efinitely wouldn鈥檛 characterize it as a cost-cutting move鈥� in having the radio team of Chris Kerber and Joey Vitale now set to appear on TV as well. It seemed like a slap at Kelly鈥檚 performance, and the re-hiring of him by another FDSN regional outlet appears to underscore that it was a Blues-driven move 鈥� not a TV one.

Here鈥檚 what Jay Rothman, FanDuel Sports Network鈥檚 vice president of production, said in a statement about the Kings鈥� broadcast team:

鈥淥ur goal is to elevate our broadcasts and bring our viewers closer to the action than ever before. We鈥檙e excited to bring together such a deep roster of expert voices to deliver a fresh perspective each night the Kings take the ice.鈥�

Added Kings president Luc Robitaille: 鈥淭he LA Kings have always taken great pride in serving our fans with the best team of broadcasters in our sport, and this crew will certainly deliver the level of quality our fans have come to expect each season.鈥�

Kelly is taking the high road about the way the Blues handled things.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really listen to what was said or what wasn鈥檛 said,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he bottom line is they made a decision and again it was their right to do it. Obviously I didn鈥檛 like the decision, but I don鈥檛 know the inner workings of why they came up to that decision. And quite honestly it doesn鈥檛 matter any more, it just doesn鈥檛.

鈥淵ou can always look at the glass half full or half empty. I look at it as it鈥檚 been a great run for me and I鈥檓 very proud of the fact that our crew with FanDuel over the years has turned out a lot of really good broadcasts and I hope the fans enjoyed them and I鈥檓 really proud of that. I鈥檓 not leaving here with my head down or anything like that. I mean, I did the best I could and I know our crew did win awards and things like that so I think that we can all be very proud of the work we鈥檝e done.鈥�

It likely won鈥檛 take long for Kelly to make his first trip back to 51黑料. Although he won鈥檛 be doing every Kings game, as Josh Schaeffer is going to call a few contests, Kelly is expected to have the assignment when LA is in town to face the Blues on Oct. 21.

鈥淚 grew up here and I鈥檝e announced here for 24 total years,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y dad, my late uncle and my brother all announced here, so to say that the Kellys have a deep connection to the 51黑料 Blues is certainly accurate. ... This city and Blues fans will always be very special to me.鈥�