Jim Kelley was not just a hockey writer. He was the hockey writer. He wasn't afraid to ask players the tough question, just ask Dominik Hasek. We had no idea that Kelley was battling cancer and today's news was shocking to us.

James Thomas Kelley Jr., who began a journalism career as a 17-year-old copy boy and became one of the most honored sportswriters in Buffalo's history, died of cancer Tuesday at Buffalo General Hospice. He was 61 on Oct. 26.

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