Why the Predators Sign Kieffer Bellows After His Previous Stint in the Maple Leafs' Organization
Bellows’ one-year, two-way pact is worth $775,000 at the NHL level and follows a career-high season in goals, assists, and points with the Marlies in 2023-24.
Former Toronto Marlies forward Kieffer Bellows is headed to Tennessee.
On Wednesday, the Nashville Predators announced via ‘X’ that they signed Bellows to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.
The 26-year-old is coming off an exceptional year in the AHL with the Marlies, scoring career-highs in goals (27), assists (22), and points (49) over 52 games. He would go on to finish second in scoring and fifth in points in his lone season with the club.
Bellows joined the Marlies following a 25-game professional tryout that concluded in January, during which he registered 14 goals and 12 assists. His consistent play, which saw him lead the team in scoring at the time, earned him a contract for the remainder of the season before he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
The former first-round pick has had his fair shares of ups and downs throughout his professional playing career. Once a highly anticipated, top-ranked prospect, he scored 41 goals in the Western Hockey League and nine goals in the World Junior U-20 Championships in 2018.
However, his NHL career has been brief thus far. Appearing in just 95 NHL games over four seasons split between the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers, he’s tallied 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points. He was placed on waivers by the Islanders in 2022 before being claimed by the Flyers. After 27 games in the City of Brotherly Love, he finished the 2022-23 season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
After not receiving a qualifying offer by the organization, Bellows joined the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on a PTO in September but did not secure a roster spot come opening night. That road led to Toronto, where he eventually found his footing with the Marlies in October of 2023.
Following his best season to date, Bellows reunites with Predators general manager Barry Trotz in Tennessee, whom he played for during his time with the Islanders. Amounting to a near 30-goal and point-per-game season in the AHL in 2023-24, Bellows looks to bring his revitalized form to the Predators’ organization, aiming to make an impact at both the NHL and AHL levels given his ‘two-way’ contract eligibility.
With a career 64 goals and 109 points in 189 AHL games, the Predators likely see Bellows as a valuable asset for their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals – who finished first in the Central Division last season but fell short in their Calder Cup run.
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