Paul Kelly leaves college hockey

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Former NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly has resigned from his position as executive director of College Hockey, Inc., the Hockey Commissioners Association announced Monday.

"The HCA would like to thank Paul for his service to CHI and wish him the best in his future endeavors," HCA President Steve Hagwell said in a statement.

"Time to move on. I told them I'd give them two-three years to get the entity established and operational," Kelly wrote in a text to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. "It's been 28 months and it's time for a new challenge. Although I did enjoy being of service to the college; great group of coaches, media and other personnel."

Kelly was hired for that position in November of 2009, where he helped to raise awareness for college hockey, especially in the fight to keep players from breaking college commitments to play junior hockey in Canada.

Before working with College Hockey Inc., Kelly spent nearly two years as the head of the NHLPA before being ousted in a late-night vote by the union's executive board in 2009.

A graduate of Boston College and the University of Toledo College of Law, Kelly practiced Law in Boston for over 25 years, where he represented past and present NHL players as a trial lawyer. Kelly is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Craig Custance is a senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine.

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Craig Custance

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• Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
• Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• Wrote for The Sporting News