The Columbus Blue Jackets, parent club of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, announced today that they have signed free agent forward Steve Kelly and re-signed defenseman Marc Methot and forward Alexandre Picard. All three players received one year, two-way contracts.
Kelly, 31, appeared in 48 games with the AHL’s Houston Aeros last season, tallying 28 points (10-18-28) and 81 penalty minutes. He also skated in two games with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild last year.
During his 12-year professional playing career, Kelly (right) has played in 149 NHL games with Edmonton, Tampa Bay, New Jersey, Los Angeles and Minnesota, notching 21 points (9-12-21) and 83 penalty minutes. He has also collected 297 points (92-205-297) in 345 career AHL games with Hamilton, Albany, Manchester and Houston.
A native of Vancouver, B.C., Kelly was originally a first-round draft pick (6th overall) of Edmonton in 1995. He reached the 1997 Calder Cup Finals as a rookie with Hamilton, won the Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2000, and was an AHL All-Star with Manchester in 2004.
Methot, 23, appeared in 66 games for the Crunch last season, registering 13 points (7-6-13) and 130 penalty minutes. He also contributed six assists in 13 Calder Cup Playoff games and skated in nine games with Columbus last year, collecting eight penalty minutes. In three seasons with Syracuse, he has appeared in 195 games, notching 42 points (10-32-42) and 263 penalty minutes. Methot has also skated in 29 games with Columbus over that span and has collected four assists and 20 penalty minutes.
A native of Ottawa, Methot was originally drafted by Columbus in 2003.
Picard, 22, appeared in 50 games with the Crunch last season, tallying 20 points (7-13-20) and 116 penalty minutes. He added three points (2-1-3) in 13 Calder Cup Playoff games for Syracuse. Picard also skated in three games with Columbus last year, picking up two penalty minutes. In three seasons with Syracuse, he has appeared in 143 games, compiling 79 points (33-46-79) and 241 penalty minutes. Picard has also skated in 43 games with Columbus over that span, notching an assist and 22 penalty minutes.
A native of Les Saules, Quebec, Picard was drafted by Columbus in the first round (8th overall), in 2004.
