NEWS

The OJHL announced today that Trenton Golden Hawks defenceman Braden Hellems (photo credit - Andy Corneau/OJHL Images) has been named the Gongshow Gear North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month for October after recording 17 points in 11 games played during the month.  

Playing his first season in the OJHL, Braden Hellems has been a pleasant surprise on the Golden Hawks blueline, leading the team in scoring throughout the month of October on the strength of 3 goals and 14 assists.  A key member of the club’s special teams unit, Hellems totals include seven power play assists and one shorthanded assist.  The impressive performance saw the mobile defender record points in 8 of 11 games, including 6 multi-point contests.  Hellems would notch the game-winning goal during a 4-1 victory over Milton on October 10 and he recorded multiple points during key divisional victories over Kingston twice, as well as Cobourg, helping the top-ranked club to a #4 ranking nationally in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).

"It's exciting and an honour to be selected as Player-of-the-Month in such a great league, made up of so many very good players," said Hellems.  "I don't view this as an individual award though because without my teammates it wouldn't have been possible.  I'm very appreciative and thanks to Gongshow Gear."

"Braden has been a pillar of strength for us since the beginning of the season, playing in all situations and logging big minutes," said Golden Hawks General Manager and Head Coach Jerome Dupont.  "It's great to see him recognized for his efforts."

Johnny Curran of the Aurora Tigers was runner-up to Hellems as the North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month.  The forward recorded a league-high 22 points, including 10 goals, in 11 games played for the surging Tigers.

Born on July 22, 1994, Braden Hellems was raised in St. Thomas, Ontario and grew-up playing minor hockey in his hometown.  One of those success stories that goes to show it’s never too late, Hellems played his minor midget season in 2009/10 with the local St. Thomas Stars A/E team, graduating to the Stars Major Midget ‘A’ squad in 2010/11, where he notched 11 goals and 27 points in 55 games played.

Attending the local St. Thomas Stars Junior ‘B’ Prospect Camp that summer, Hellems would impress the club’s staff and sign-on for his rookie season at age 17.  Hellems would play junior hockey in his hometown for three seasons from 2011-14, steadily becoming not only one of the Stars’ best defencemen, but also one of the best in the entire GOJHL.

He would more than double his offensive output from year one to two, going from 3 goals and 12 points to 6 goals and 26 points, earning a spot on Team White at the 2012 GOJHL Prospects Game held in Kitchener, Ontario, where he helped his team to an 8-1 victory.

The 2013-14 season saw Hellems take on a leadership role with the Stars as an alternate captain.  Always one to be involved in the community, spending parts of his summer working with the local Police Services, the talented blueliner led the Stars rearguards in scoring with 11 goals and 31 points in 47 regular season games played.  Once again he would represent his team, this time at the 2013 GOJHL All-Star Game in Port Colborne, Ontario, where he recorded one assist for Team Ludzik during a 10-4 loss to Team Vaive.  He would finish the season strong and was rewarded for his hard work by being named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for February.

Signing with the Golden Hawks this summer, the “coachable” defender has adjusted well to his new surroundings.  Along with leading the club’s blueline in scoring, Hellems sits second among all OJHL defencemen with 19 assists and 23 points in 19 games played thus far, and has the Hawks positioned well for a strong run at a league title once again this season.