Kelly Summers

Kelly Summers
Occupation	Ice hockey defenseman
Known for	Playing for Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL; All-American recognition at Clarkson University

Kelly Summers is a Canadian ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL. He received All-American recognition during his tenure with the Clarkson team.

Playing career

At 18, Summers had a standout junior year, surpassing a point-per-game average and playing a key role in the Carleton Place Canadians capturing the Fred Page Cup. Subsequently, he was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. That autumn, he enrolled at Clarkson University, where his offensive contributions grew consistently each season. In his final collegiate year, Summers nearly doubled his scoring output, guiding Clarkson to the ECAC championship final and securing the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in ten years, marking a pivotal achievement.

Post-college, Summers signed with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, showcasing a strong rookie campaign. Toward season’s end, he inked a professional tryout contract with the Belleville Senators, although he did not participate in any games. Returning to Adirondack, he was loaned to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL, where he appeared in nine contests.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted his minor league career and postponed subsequent seasons. Choosing to continue his professional journey, Summers relocated to Germany to compete for ETC Crimmitschau, remaining there for two years but missing the 2021–22 season due to a shoulder injury.

On 12 July 2022, it was announced that Summers had signed with the Nottingham Panthers.

Personal life

Summers is related to Mike Sullivan, his cousin, who also played collegiate hockey for four years at Clarkson.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009–10	Ottawa Valley Titans U14 AAA	HEO U14		27	1	17	18	10		6	2	2	4	2
2010–11	Ottawa Valley Titans U15 AAA	HEO U15		30	3	19	22	12		10	2	6	8	14
2011–12	Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA	OEHL U16		30	9	22	31	20		8	3	6	9	6
2011–12	Carleton Place Canadians	CCHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Carleton Place Canadians	CCHL		59	13	20	33	14		12	1	1	2	4
2013–14	Carleton Place Canadians	CCHL		56	17	43	60	12		16	5	8	13	4
2014–15	Clarkson	ECAC Hockey		33	6	4	10	4		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Clarkson	ECAC Hockey		37	3	11	14	20		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Clarkson	ECAC Hockey		39	3	14	17	30		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Clarkson	ECAC Hockey		40	6	24	30	35		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Adirondack Thunder	ECHL		49	5	19	24	21		4	0	0	0	6
2019–20	Adirondack Thunder	ECHL		44	9	15	24	28		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Binghamton Devils	AHL		9	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	ETC Crimmitschau	DEL2		42	6	22	28	20		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	ETC Crimmitschau	DEL2		0	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	Nottingham Panthers	EIHL		54	7	20	27	18		4	0	3	3	2
CCHL totals				117	30	63	93	26		28	6	9	15	8
NCAA totals				149	18	53	71	89		—	—	—	—	—
ECHL totals				93	14	34	48	49		4	0	0	0	6

Awards and honors

Distinction	Year
All-ECAC Hockey First Team	2017–18
AHCA East Second Team All-American	2017–18