San Diego Gulls Sign Defenseman Drew Helleson To Amateur Tryout
Mar 22, 2022The San Diego Gulls announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club signed defenseman Drew Helleson to an Amateur Tryout (ATO).
Helleson, 20 (3/26/01), represented Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, recording one assist in three tournament contests. Acquired with a second-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft from Colorado for Josh Manson, Helleson recorded 4-21=25 points and 30 penalty minutes (PIM) in 32 games as a junior in 2021-22 with Boston College (Hockey East). He led Golden Eagles defensemen in points, and ranked second among team leaders in assists.
The 6-3, 204-pound defenseman collected 9-37=46 points with a +26 rating in 82 career NCAA games with Boston College from 2019-22, leading team blueliners in scoring each of the last two seasons. He was named to the NCAA Second All-American Team, a Hockey East First Team All-Star and the Best Defensive Defenseman in 2020-21 after scoring 4-11=15 points with a +23 rating in 22 games. He ranked third among all NCAA skaters in plus/minus.
Originally selected by Colorado in the second round (47th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Helleson recorded 10-53=63 points with the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-17 and U-18 teams from 2017-19. A native of Farmington, Minn., Helleson helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship, scoring 2-2=4 points with a +9 rating in seven tournament games to lead all defensemen in goals. He also helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2018 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and bronze at the 2019 U-18 World Championship.