Not drafted? No problem.
North Vancouver’s Jordy Bellerive signed a three-year entry-level contract with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins this week. The 18-year-old was not picked in the NHL entry draft earlier this year but was invited to take part in training camp with the Penguins, where he parlayed his strong play into a professional contract.
“Very honoured and excited to sign with the Penguins!” Bellerive wrote in a post on his Twitter account. “What a day for my family. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get here!”
The former North Shore Winter Club star made an emphatic statement at the 2017 Prospects Challenge held in Buffalo, N.Y., leading the Penguins with four goals and seven points in three games. Bellerive notched multiple points in each game, including a hat trick against the New Jersey Devils.
Though the Penguins have him locked up for three years, Bellerive was subsequently sent back down to the Lethbridge Hurricanes where he’ll suit up for his third season of WHL play. In his first two seasons in Lethbridge Bellerive scored 92 points in 135 regular season games. The 5-10 forward came up big in the playoffs last year as well, scoring 14 points in 20 games to help the Hurricanes make the Eastern Conference finals.
He also suited up for the U18 national team at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where Team Canada finished fifth.
