Bryan Kelly has made a mid-season jump from the Saanich Braves to the Edmonton Oilers.

Until he arrived in Edmonton on Nov. 28 to start his job as a communications intern with the NHLB次元官网网址檚 Oilers, Kelly and Jordan Caldwell were a two-man broadcast team calling play-by-play for the junior-B Braves.

Despite KellyB次元官网网址檚 loyalty to the pride of Pearkes arena, the Camosun College applied communications grad couldnB次元官网网址檛 pass up a chance to jump to the big leagues.

B次元官网网址�(Caldwell and I) always said weB次元官网网址檙e doing this for the Braves and because we want to get to the next level,B次元官网网址� said Kelly, who applied for the internship online and was interviewed over Skype. B次元官网网址淓veryone in the Braves organization is really supportive of the job.B次元官网网址�

He didnB次元官网网址檛 have much time before leaving for Edmonton and his first B次元官网网址渉elloB次元官网网址� moment: Kelly, rushing to ready himself on his first day, almost ran over goalie Nikolai Khabibulin in the hallway of Rexall Place prior to game time. But nothingB次元官网网址檚 been a bigger shock than the northern Alberta winter.

B次元官网网址淚 thought it was cold at Pearkes,B次元官网网址� Kelly said. B次元官网网址淔or Braves games I wore wool socks and long johns, plus three shirts, a sweater and an overcoat over my suit jacket.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been learning to deal with winter in Edmonton. It barely snows, but itB次元官网网址檚 just straight cold, often -40 in the mornings. I just got a block heater installed in my truck.B次元官网网址�

The internship is set to end on April 1, when winter begins to ease up.

With the Oilers, Kelly helps with the teamB次元官网网址檚 social media, monitoring the content and popularity of the teamB次元官网网址檚 Facebook and Twitter accounts. He also works on promotions, giveaways, prizes and contests and writes stories for Oilers.com about the team or the Oilers Octane ice dancers.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a foot in the door of pro sports for the former Oak Bay High rugby player, who did freelance media and communications with Rugby Canada, and interned for the Victoria Salmon Kings last season.

Getting there was a bit of a rush, to say the least. Kelly was writing exams in the Royal Roads University bachelor of communications program the week of his departure.

B次元官网网址淚t was pretty crazy the way I packed up and left with pretty much nothing in my bank account. I drove overnight and got snowed in by an avalanche (just north of Kelowna). I got to Edmonton two hours before they played the Minnesota Wild. I changed into my suit in the parking lot in my truck, and in my first 10 seconds in the building I just about bumped into Khabibulin.B次元官网网址�

During the season, Kelly will continue his studies at Royal Roads online.