While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.
Jordy Bellerive
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Age: 20
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 195 pounds
2019-20 AHL statistics: 53 games, 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists)
Contract: First year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $733,333. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.
Acquired: Undrafted free agent signing on Sept. 16, 2017.
This season: A prolific point producer as a junior player with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League, Bellerive nearly had his life, to say nothing of his career, derailed in June 2018 when a campfire flashed on him and he suffered severe burns, including to his hands.
Despite that potential catastrophe, Bellerive made a seemingly immediate recovery and produced an 83-point (33 goals, 50 assists) season in 68 games during 2018-19, his final junior season.
This season, his first as a professional, Bellerive has not produced nearly at the same clip, but that’s somewhat by design.
Primarily used as a top-six forward in juniors, Bellerive, who was an occasional healthy scratch early in the season, has been trying to adapt to a bottom-six role. Despite his modest size, the speedy Bellerive is not afraid to mix things up physically.
His skill still is evident, as he produced a solid 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in his previous 26 games while earning some power-play ice time before the AHL halted play.
(Video courtesy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)
The future: Bellerive likely won’t be a top-six center in the professional ranks as he was in juniors. If he is to make it in the NHL, he needs to adapt to the more arduous tasks of a third- or fourth-line role. Thus far, he has taken some baby steps in that direction.
