When the St. Louis Blues host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, John Kelly will be in the building, but he will be calling the game as part of the Kings' broadcast crew. For Kelly and the entire fanbase, it will be strange, given his longevity calling games for the Blues for over two decades.
It was something Kelly acknowledged in the buildup of his big return. In an article from Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Kelly said, “It’s going to be emotional to go to the game and to walk into the press box. You know 21 years, that’s a lot of games that I’ve called out of Enterprise Center and there are a lot of great memories, so it will be emotional and great to connect with a lot of people that I know. I’m sure I’ll see some fans while I’m around St. Louis, too. ... It will be emotional for sure.”
For many Blues fans, Kelly is the only voice they knew when watching televised games, so it will be strange for those fans to tune in, knowing Kelly is in the building, yet they won't hear his voice on the broadcast.
John Kelly had a magnificent run with the St. Louis Blues
Kelly's time in Arch City ended when the Blues and Fan Duel Sports Midwest opted for a simulcast, combining the radio and TV broadcasts into one. It's a model a handful of NHL teams use, such as the Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth.
When the Blues and Fan Duel Sports Midwest decided to roll with the model, it negated the need for the crew comprising John Kelly and Jamie Rivers. So, Kelly had to look elsewhere to continue his broadcasting career, and that's how he ended up with the Kings.
Still, Kelly's run with the Blues was memorable. He was there for the 2019 playoffs that ended with the Blues hoisting the Stanley Cup. And he was there for more than his fair share of successful Blues seasons that saw them earn trips to the playoffs a solid 13 times.
While his run didn't end the way fans would have wanted, it's still a foregone conclusion that Kelly will always be associated with the St. Louis Blues. He still displayed a ton of longevity during his 21-year run and was there for the team's most iconic moment. So, he may be calling games for the opponent, but the Blues will always be the first team fans think of when they bring up his name in conversation.