Kieffer Bellows has agreed to an entry-level contract with the New York Islanders.
New York Islanders prospect Kieffer Bellows agreed to a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced Friday.
Bellows was selected 16th overall by the Islanders in the 2016 NHL draft. Last year he scored 14 points, had seven goals, and seven assists in his freshman season at Boston University. This season, the forward will play for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, according to the team’s announcement.
In international play, Bellows won a gold medal at the 2017 Under-20 World Junior Championships. He also won a bronze medal at the 2016 Under-18 World Championships.
The Islanders prospect believes that he is just one season away from playing in the NHL.
“I think I just need to improve on my first three steps and my skating,” Bellows told NHL.com’s Brian Compton. “In the corners too, staying low … I think everybody’s game can improve, and I can just improve my game a lot.
“I think if I keep working hard, keep improving a lot, it’s really close. I’m just getting a little taste of it right now. It’s really awesome, the coaching staff being there for you, supporting you, working you.”
If Bellows were to play for the Islanders next year, then he would be following in his father Brian’s footsteps. A four-time All-Star, Brian Bellows played in the NHL for 17 years, finishing his career with 485 goals and 537 assists for 1,022 points in 1,188 games.
He’s got a lot of work to do before reaching the NHL, but if Bellows turns out half as good as his father, the Islanders will have another keeper on their hands.