MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – When Kam Hellman joined the Metro Jets last season and played with the organization’s MJDP team, he quickly found his offensive game.
Hellman recorded 12 goals and 26 points in 17 regular-season games before adding six points in six USPHL playoff games.
This season, the 2001-born Macomb, Mich., native has put up 23 goals and 56 points in 39 games with the Jets, good for fourth on the club, and has next year set with his recent commitment to NCAA Division III New England College.
“The NEC opportunity started early in the year and grew from there,” said Hellman, also an alternate captain this season. “(New England College assistant coach) Dakota Bell reached out to talk to me and the process started from there. In terms of fitting in next year, I hope to bring my speed and IQ to the team and to help drive them offensively.”
On the academic side, Hellman is looking at a business curriculum at NEC.
In recent years, New England College, a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) school located in Henniker, N.H., has had several former Jets on the roster, including six this year in forwards Anthony Cinato (2017-20), Jhuwon Davis (2017-19), Connor Inger (2016-18), Trevor Momot (2016-18) and Justin Renzi (2018-20), and goaltender Andrew Kormos (2016-18).
“It will be cool to go to a school that has a history with the Jets,” Hellman said. “To be able to talk with those guys and have something in common right off the jump is cool.”
Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville saw the potential in Hellman, who also has 48 games of NCDC experience with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs, last season and has been impressed with how far his game has evolved over the past year.
“Kam is a special player in our program because of the road he took to his NCAA commitment,” Quenneville said. “He is another example that shatters the idea that only one road exists to NCAA. He had early success playing in the NCDC and came back to the Jets to work on his game and develop. We are fortunate that our program can help these young men get the best platform for exposure and advancement.
“Kam is a high-character person, high-energy player with high ability. He can drive a line by himself, bring speed, and drive the offense every shift with his consistent effort he brings the moment he is on the ice. He garnered a lot of college attention here, and deservingly so. We wish him the best of luck and NEC is lucky to have him.”
Hellman said that coming to the Jets helped him turn a corner in his overall development.
“The Jets helped round out my game for the next level by harping on playing a 200-foot game and really working on both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively,” said Hellman. “I would love to thank all my coaches, especially my Jets coaches, and my teammates. I would also love to thank my family, especially my parents, for always being there and supporting me along my entire hockey career.”
And with a few short weeks left in the 2021-22 regular season, Hellman has goals in place, both on a team level and on a personal level.
“For the rest of the season, I would love to just play my game I know I can play,” Hellman said. “I want to help the Jets bring home a national championship to Mount Clemens.”
