The Rollercoaster

Jaxon Bellamy has had his share of ups and downs and twists and turns in his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League career. 

Junior hockey’s rollercoaster can certainly damage a young players psyche, that's certainly not the case for the young New Brunswick defender.

Bellamy's rollercoaster ride is over and through all the peaks and valleys Bellamy has no regrets and is now coming into his own with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. 

The mature well spoken blue-liner says it best when talking about his career and progression as a player. 

“It’s not a race, it’s a marathon.”

The kid from Hampton, New Brunswick has always been driven to get to the next level. 

“Jaxon comes to the rink everyday to get better,” said Bellamy’s former coach and NHL defencemen Randy Jones. 

“Jaxon carries himself as a professional on and off the ice and was a true joy to coach,” said the Saint John Vito’s Head Coach.

The Moncton Wildcats selected Bellamy with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft. It appeared that the organization had landed their blue chip defensive prospect that they could build around for years to come. 

Nevertheless, Bellamy’s time in the Hub City was short lived. (Photo Credit Vincent Ethier QMJHL)

To this day Bellamy has nothing but nice things to say about the organization that gave him his first opportunity in the QMJHL. 

“I learned a lot from my time in Moncton. I wasn’t able to get the ice time and that’s completely understandable, we had a lot defencemen at the time.” 

The Wildcats were in year one of their rebuild trying to balance developing and winning, a potentially rare and dangerous combination, one that didn’t allow a 16 year-old defencemen time or perhaps room to grow and develop.

Admittedly the toughest time during his short tenure with the Cats was being healthy scratched after returning home from representing his country at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge.

“U-17’s was an incredible experience, but it was definitely tough and disappointing because after that tournament I thought I was ready to get the responsibility I thought I deserved,” said Bellamy. (Photo Credit Hockey Canada)

“You learn how important age is and how that plays a huge factor in the QMJHL.”

“It was tough to get into that lineup, but it was very difficult for me being up in the stands.”

“We had two twenty-year-olds who were taking a lot of the ice away and other guys like Aspirot, Le Coultre and Aresenault were playing solid minutes as well.” 

It was clear the sixteen-year-old rookie had lost his confidence. “Confidence is a huge part of the game, if you don’t have confidence you aren’t able to play your game.”

“When I was drafted and going into camp with the Wildcats I had that confidence.” After only 24 games as a Wildcat the highly touted defencemen was traded. 

The 6’4 rangy hard-nosed defencemen noticed right away when he arrived in Sherbrooke that his confidence wasn’t where it needed to be. 

“It’s hard for me to describe it, but for the first little while with the Phoenix, I was still sour and just didn’t have the same confidence that other sixteen-year-olds possessed in the league,” confessed Bellamy.

“I would hesitate, I wasn’t able to make the right plays that I would if I had my confidence.” Those early days with the Phoenix had to be trying for the 1st rounder. It was only at the end of his rookie season that Bellamy realized that the adversity he had faced had made him grow as a player. “The coaches said that they were really impressed with my second half and that they wanted me to keep building.”

“It took time, those things just don’t happen overnight, but I got my confidence back in the second half in Sherbrooke,” Bellamy said proudly.

Bellamy has always taken the mental side of the game seriously whether getting prepared for games or putting the work in off the ice.

“When I was in Moncton I couldn’t get into the rhythm, I didn’t know if I was playing and then my confidence would be down and couldn’t get back up.”

“It was a rollercoaster.”

“In Sherbrooke, it was just building blocks, it was one game at a time gaining that confidence making the right plays,” stressed Bellamy.

“I believe the mental side of the game is eighty percent of how you play.”

“My progression as a player ever sense getting to Sherbrooke has been crazy,” confessed Bellamy. 

“I’ve been taking every day as a challenge to get better.” 

Bellamy spends most of his free time watching video in order to improve all facets of his game. “If I’m not on the ice, I’m on the computer trying to figure out ways to improve and be a little more offensive.”  In 65 career games with the Phoenix Bellamy has 23 points and is a combined + 5 rating. 

Bellamy is quick to credit Phoenix Head Coach Stephane Julien when it comes to his current success in the league.

“Steph has been unbelievable”

“He’s taught me so much about both on sides of the puck. He pushes me, and he knows I can get to another level.” (Photo Credit TVA Sports)

“It’s crazy to see where I was when I got here versus what type of player I am today. The coaching staff and the organization have really helped me progress into the player I know I can be in this league," confessed Bellamy.

“I’ve seen a progression in Jaxon’s game,” said Phoenix Head Coach Stephane Julien. 

“Jaxon has a professional shot, he works very hard and wants to learn every day. He must continue work on his skating abilities. He is very engaged with the team and the fans, he is a very good teammate,” Julien added. 

Bellamy realizes there is still a lot of work to be done, but is willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goal of one day playing professional hockey.

 So how is the rangy defencemen handling the pressures of his NHL draft year? 

“You don’t want to change your game to be someone else. You want to be yourself,” Bellamy said.

“You want to play your game, and in my case that’s being a strong physical defencemen, that can also bring some offensive touch to the team.” 

The private and well-spoken defencemen was reluctant to share how many NHL teams he has met with so far this season.  The eighteen-year-old remains fixated on becoming a more complete player. “It’s one day at a time, to do every thing possible to be a better player than you were yesterday." 

“I do think of the pro game, I think that’s what pushes me, it’s been my goal ever since I was a kid and it’s something that I want to do," stressed Bellamy.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to get there and have a chance to play at that level. I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m going to work my tail off to make sure I have a chance.”