Gulls Grads: Helleson Finding His Footing in NHL
Jan 23, 2025By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com
After spending parts of four seasons in the American Hockey League for the San Diego Gulls, Drew Helleson has earned his spot in the National Hockey League with the Anaheim Ducks.
The 23-year-old defenseman has appeared in 21 games for Anaheim so far this season, his first extended run in the NHL aside from a three-game cup of coffee at the end of the 2022-23 season. Helleson found some offensive success early in the season, posting 1-3=4 points in his first seven games of the season, including his first multi-point game (0-2=2) in his season debut Nov. 15 vs. Detroit.
Now up to speed on the pace of the NHL, Helleson is quickly learning how fast the highest level of the game can humble you.
"I think when you first get up here, you're kind of running on adrenaline, and then you kind of settle in a bit, and realize how big of a grind it really can be," Helleson said. "I don't know if I would say I'm completely used to it yet, but I'm definitely getting there.
"It’s been challenging. There's definitely some things you got to learn being here for a while now. It's different than the [AHL]… It’s been tough, but can't complain. I'm having a great time playing in the NHL."
Helleson has been no stranger to change in his professional career, making the adjustment period easier. Acquired from Colorado by Anaheim at the 2021-22 trade deadline, Helleson played 17 games for the Gulls to close out the season under then-head coach Joel Bouchard. In his first full pro season in 2022-23, he was under the guidance of Roy Sommer in San Diego and Dallas Eakins in Anaheim, who were both gone by the summer.
In 2023-24, Helleson finally got some stability. Matt McIlvane was brought in to lead San Diego, while Greg Cronin took over as Anaheim’s head coach, where both remain at the helm in 2024-25.
"I think it's nice to know who's there, and kind of get, I wouldn't say comfortable, but get to know them a little bit," Helleson said. "Each coach is different and how they want you to play and to try to figure that out takes time. But they've both been good with me, and I can't complain. They've both taught me things that I wouldn't have learned without them.
"They're pretty similar. I think when you're down there, they try to make it seamless so if you do get called up, you're not a lost puppy out there. I think they both just expect you to be at your best, night in, night out, and be hard to play against, and those are things that I think everyone can control. That's things that they expect from everyone."
While he hasn’t seen success on the ice during his pro career yet, Helleson has used losses as learning points.
"It's hard. Nobody likes losing," Helleson said. "I hate it, and it's no fun, but I think you can learn some things about yourself and about your team and how you can get better… It’s been some tough times [in San Diego], but sometimes I think when you're going through those times, you learn a little bit more about what you can bring and how you can make the team better."