Hellickson makes a good first impression
Defence hopeful played four years at Notre Dame before choosing Toronto
It perhaps speaks volumes about a player’s desire to be accountable when he’s asked about “the goal” and he talks not about the one he scored, but about the one he figured he could have done a better job preventing.
Meet defenceman Matt Hellickson, who scored on a terrific shot for a 3-2 lead, but maybe could have made a different choice on a Columbus goal as the Maple Leafs’ prospects dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Blue Jackets in Traverse City, Mich., on Thursday.
“That’s his character,” said Greg Moore, head coach of the AHL’s Marlies and bench boss for the Leafs’ prospects in this tournament. “He’s a team person first. It’s nice to have guys like that in the room.
“He’s a standup person, a great teammate and (it’s) a big reason why we have him here.”
Hellickson was drafted four years ago by the New Jersey Devils, but opted to play his full four years at Notre Dame. He did play a bit for the Devils’ minor-league team and was chosen by the United States for the world championship in Latvia over the spring. He was a plus-7 with one assist in nine games for the bronze-medal team.
“It was a great experience,” said Hellickson. “The coolest things I learned are actually probably off the ice. I got to play with all those great players on the ice, seeing how a real team comes together and the camaraderie that you need to have for that type of a tournament.
“But they were such high-level players. It was so fun every single day waking up and just being around those guys, just being able to pick their brains and learn from them. Not even talk, just watch, because they have been professionals for a really long time.”
Learning that he could play with the pros, he wanted to take his game to the next level. But not with New Jersey.
“I just realized the Devils weren’t the best fit. So I decided to wait until Aug.15, which is the day where you can become a free agent.”
That’s true for college players who play four years in the NCAA.
Ultimately, he chose the Leafs. You might think it was because he knows so many players in the organization. He calls forward Joey Anderson his best friend. He played with goalie Joe Woll in the U.S. national development program, and forward Alex Steeves with the Fighting Irish.
But it was a relationship that goes much deeper that brought him to Toronto.
Ryan Hardy, signed this summer as senior director of the organization’s minor-league teams and general manager of the Marlies, had scouted Hellickson for the U.S. program.
“I’ve known Mr. Hardy since I was probably 14 years old,” said Hellickson. “I have a pretty good relationship with him.”
But there’s more to the story, an element that’s becoming common in the Leafs’ recruiting.
“The thing that stuck out to me was just the amount of resources that each individual player has to take advantage of, to become a better hockey player,” said Hellickson.
“Whatever you put into it is what you’re going to get out of it. So that was definitely the biggest selling point for me. Just all the people that are here to help make me a better hockey player.”
Steeves scored the first goal in Thursday’s rookie game — set up by Nick Robertson — but left early with a shoulder injury. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev put the Leafs up 2-0. Hellickson scored the third goal, for a 3-2 lead late in the second period. Ian Scott drew the assignment in net.
“It was really good for a first game,” Moore said of Hellickson. “He hasn’t been practising with us like a lot of other guys have in the last few days, so for him to step in and just be given video and go out and apply, he did really good.
“He’s a defenceman we’re really excited about.”
At six-feet and 183 pounds, he played mostly with Joe Duszak on what could be a pairing with the Marlies this season. He’s got good hands and puck-handling ability.
“I’ve been waiting all summer for this to come,” said Hellickson. “It’s been a while since I played a game, so it’s really fun to get back to a level that was game speed.”