Former Hab Bellows’s son strikes gold with U.S.
You see a lot of ex-Hab Brian Bellows in son Kieffer, hero of Team USA
When Kieffer Bellows came out to meet the media in the mixed zone following Team USA’s epic 5-4 shootout win over Canada in the final game of the World Junior Hockey Championship he was still wearing his uniform with a gold medal around his neck and a white ball cap on his head.
The first thing that struck me was his eyes — it’s remarkable how much they look like his father’s.
Kieffer is the 18-year-old son of Brian Bellows, who was part of the Canadiens’ last Stanley Cup team in 1993, and the proud dad was in the stands Thursday night at the Bell Centre when Kieffer scored two of Team USA’s four goals in regulation time.
“I’m wearing his jersey,” Kieffer said about the No. 23 that his father also wore. “I wouldn’t be here today without (my parents) and I love them so much.”
Kieffer’s mother, Tracy, was also in the stands Thursday night.
“It’s very emotional,” Kieffer said. “I had tears flowing from my eyes and tears were flowing from my mom’s eyes. The emotions really come out in these type of games. Seeing my dad in the crowd was pretty special and being in Montreal. Stepping on that ice for the first time was very special and to win it was even better.”
The two goals Kieffer scored Thursday night were the only ones he had during seven tournament games, but he definitely got hot at the right time.
“I think the whole entire tournament I felt like I’ve really hit my stride and I’ve been playing well,” Kieffer said. “Today, I was just lucky enough for them to go in the net.
“I bring a physical element to my game,” he added. “I like to throw the body around.”
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound leftwinger has earned a reputation as a goal-scorer — just like his dad — scoring 33 goals in 58 games during the 2014-15 season and adding nine more in 12 playoff games to help the Sioux Falls Stampede win the USHL’s Clark Cup. Last season, he scored 16 goals in 23 games with the U.S. national under-18 team and the New York Islanders selected him in the first round (19th overall) of last year’s NHL Draft. This season, Kieffer has four goals in 15 games as a freshman at Boston University.
Kieffer was born on June 10, 1998, in Edina, Minn., which has been home to his Canadian father since he was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars with the No. 2 overall pick at the 1982 NHL Draft after the Boston Bruins took defenceman Gord Kluzak. Brian scored 485 goals in the NHL with stops in Minnesota, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Anaheim and Washington.
He scored 40 goals for the Canadiens during their 1992-93 Stanley Cup season and added six more during the playoffs.
Kieffer was born 19 hours after his father played for Washington in Game 1 of the 1998 Stanley Cup final, losing 2-1 to the Red Wings in Detroit.
Brian made it to Minnesota in time to witness the birth and then flew back to Detroit in time for Game 2. Bellows had started that season playing for the Berlin Capitals in Germany because of an NHL lockout and grew to like the name Kieffer while he was in Europe.
After playing in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, Kieffer said his father phoned his mother and said: “Kieffer ... think about it. Don’t say anything.” Then he hung up. When Brian arrived at the hospital in Minnesota his wife agreed the baby boy’s name would be Kieffer, but there was one problem. Tracy knew it was normally spelled with one f, but when Brian filled out the paperwork following the birth he put two.
“My mom was like: ‘What are you doing? It’s one f!’” Kieffer said with a laugh.
Growing up as the son of a professional athlete in any sport isn’t easy. You’re often known simply as “the son of ...” and it can be difficult to develop your own identity — especially with others.
“It was tough,” Kieffer admitted.
“At a younger age, it was harder to put out of my mind. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve been able to do my own thing, pave my own path. And he’s helped me a lot with that, just letting me do my own thing and letting me be the player I am, and I can’t thank him enough for that. Especially my mom, too. She’s the one who always told me: ‘Just believe in yourself.’ ”
His eyes were shining when he said it.
Seeing my dad in the crowd was pretty special and being in Montreal. Stepping on that ice for the first time was very special and to win it was even better.