Former first round pick forced to take professional tryout at just 25-years-old

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Josh tupper
September 11, 2023 (10:25 PM)

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When a player is selected in the first round of the NHL Draft, teams always have high hopes. The likely hood of finding an NHL player decreases drastically after the first round. However, nothing in the NHL is guaranteed.

When the New York Islanders selected Kieffer Bellows 19th overall in the 2016 Draft, they expected the physical left winger to make a real impact. Unfortunately, Bellows never reached his projected heights and found himself placed on waivers last season.

Bellows was eventually claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers before going unqualified at the beginning of the offseason. After becoming a free agent Bellows has finally found himself a potential home.

The #Canes have signed forwards Kieffer Bellows and Jayden Halbgewachs to professional tryouts.

The two join Cory Conacher, Brendan Perlini, Nick Shore, and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu as PTOs coming to Carolina's training camp.

In his career Bellows has played 95 games, scoring 14 goals and adding 14 assists. If Bellows is unable to find a spot with the Hurricanes it is very likely be could find his NHL career in real jeopardy.

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