Next In Line

It would be an understatement to say hockey is a way of life for Bryan and Stephanie Bellamy and their four sons.

Jaxon, Evan, Carter and Reid all grew up with an unwavering passion and love for the game.

There’s no question Jaxon paved the way being the oldest, but the next in line to see how far the game will take him is 15-year-old Evan.

At 5”8, 135 pounds, Evan Bellamy is a completely different player to that of his older brother.

Comparisons and projections are all part of the game, but in many ways unfair.

You see Evan Bellamy is embarking on his own path in the game.

The highly skilled smooth skating rearguard is now experiencing the pressure cooker of what some young players call the most stressful year of their lives, their QMJHL draft year.

The mature soft spoken kid from Hampton, New Brunswick is trying to take everything in stride.

“With COVID it has definitely been a different start to the season,” said Bellamy who plays for the Saint John Vito’s Major U18 organization.

“I’ve been taking it one practice at a time and one game at a time.”

“I’m always trying to work on my skating and puck skills and little things that will help improve my game,” Bellamy added.

Spoken like a true student of the game. Obviously, each one of the Bellamy boys are their own players and bring different styles of play to the game they love. Nevertheless, it’s clear who the main inspiration is.

“I’ve always looked up to Jaxon, because of his work ethic and dedication to the game both on and off the ice.”

“Now when we go on the ice together, he’s always trying to get the best out of me and tries to teach me what he has learned from his hockey experience at the Q level.”

Every player and person matures, grows and develops at their own unique rate. Unlike his older brother, Evan Bellamy has always been the “smaller puck moving transitional type defender” on every team coming up through the ranks.

You see that’s what makes Bellamy’s path so intriguing. He has had to adapt to the game every step of the way.

Being the diminutive defender is something his older brother never really experienced.

Evan Bellamy isn’t flashy, he just gets the job done every time out and you can tell he takes a lot of pride in that.

Bellamy’s mobility, agility, puck skills and hockey sense are certainly his strongest attributes and will serve him extremely well at the next level.

Some scouts and organizations might be overly critical of his size, but they all know the inevitable will happen. However, size certainly doesn’t matter when you play the game like Evan Bellamy does.

Nonetheless, Bellamy has already started to grow which is quite scary considering his current skill set and mobility.

Who knows how tall he will be by draft day?

That’s where the projections come into play. Whatever the case may be Evan Bellamy can flat out play the game and the position.

The solid two-way defender is embracing the process and trying to stay in the present while working hard toward his ultimate goal of playing the QMJHL and beyond.

Where does Bellamy see himself fitting in at the next level?

“I have always thought of myself as a strong puck moving defensive player,” Bellamy said confidently.

“This year I’ve been continuing to work out and to get stronger. I also rewatch our game video to see what I can improve on. I like to watch NHL highlights videos on YouTube to see what I can bring to my game,” Bellamy said.

The bond between brothers truly transcends the game.

“My brothers are my best friends and are always there for me and push me to get better every day, but especially my older brother Jaxon.”

“He sacrificed a lot this summer when we trained in Halifax he drove me around from the gym and rink to rink. He spent a lot of time waiting for me in parking lots in between his own ice times,” Bellamy said.

Hockey dreams are shared so are all the sacrifices and there have been a lot of them for Stephanie and Bryan Bellamy.

Those sacrifices are certainly not lost on young Evan.

“My parents are always driving me to practice every night taking me to the gym and waiting for me. My dad is always trying to help me get better and goes to all my games when he can because I have two younger brothers playing AAA hockey.”

“He has coached me since IP and I wouldn’t be the hockey player I am with out him.”

“My mom is always there to support me and encourage me.”

“I wouldn’t be near the person or player I am with out them,” Bellamy said proudly.

What would it mean to be drafted into the QMJHL?

“I grew up playing mini sticks in the kitchen and skating on my back yard rink. It would be a dream come true to play in the QMJHL.”

“Growing up and watching the Sea Dogs and now seeing Jaxon play in the league, I knew this was something I wanted to work hard to achieve,” he said.

Evan Bellamy has a very bright future in the game, the sky is the limit for the next Bellamy in line.