The Plymouth Whalers announced today that the team will be receiving veteran defenseman Brett Bellemore from the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League.Injuries limited Bellemore, 20, to just six games with Albany this season.
“We are very excited to get Brett back,” Plymouth coach-GM Mike Vellucci said. “He was a big part of our championship season and he will help our special teams a lot. When you don’t have to give up anything to add a player like Brett, it’s a bonus.”
Bellemore, from Windsor, Ont., native, was originally selected by the Whalers in the 12th round (233rd overall) of the 2004 OHL Priority Selection. After playing with Plymouth as a rookie in 2005-06, Bellemore emerged as one of the best stay-at-home defensemen in the OHL during the Whalers championship season in 2006-07 when he led the Canadian Hockey League with a plus-48 rating.
Bellemore was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round (162nd overall) of the 2007 National Hockey League Entry Draft and played last season in Plymouth, where he scored six goals with 18 assists for 24 points in 56 games. After the Whalers were eliminated in last year’s OHL playoffs, Bellemore went to Albany, where he appeared in four regular season games and five playoff games for the River Rats.
Bellemore becomes the fourth overage player on the Whalers roster. Ontario Hockey League teams have until noon Friday to cut down to three overage players (1988 birthdays). The other Whalers overagers include defenseman Scott Fletcher, right wing Patrick Lee and center Matt Caria.
The OHL trading deadline is Friday at noon.
Bellemore is expected to be in the lineup this weekend when the Whalers play in Kingston on Friday, in Belleville on Saturday and in Ottawa on Sunday.
Photo by Walt Dmoch/Plymouth Whalers
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