Wilkes-Barre/Scranton signs Calen Addison, Jordy Bellerive to ATO contracts

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced this morning that they’ve officially signed Pittsburgh prospects Calen Addison and Jordy Bellerive to amateur tryout contracts for the remainder of the 2018-19 AHL season.

This doesn’t come as much surprise given that Addison and Bellerive, teammates on the Lethbridge Hurricanes, have concluded their season in the Western Hockey League. Bellerive has also already signed his contract with the Penguins and was expected to join WBS at the beginning of next season, but it seems the Baby Pens, who are still in the hunt for a playoff berth, want to get his and Addison’s feet wet a bit earlier.

The decision bumped forward Cedric Lacroix down to the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers.

Pittsburgh picked Addison first in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in the second round at No. 53 overall, and in the WHL this season, he collected 65 points (11 goals, 54 assists) as a blueliner. Addision led the Hurricanes in helpers with that sparkling 54 marker. He came in at No. 9 in our Top 25 Under 25 series this past summer.

Bellerive, in his second season as the captain of Lethbridge, ranked second on the team in points with 83 (33 goals, 50 assists) and in his 274 career WHL games, put together a stellar stat line of 267 points (117 goals, 150 assists). After going undrafted, the 20-year-old was offered a three-year, entry-level contract by the Penguins in 2017. His stock rose after gobbling up seven points (four goals, three assists) in three games during Pittsburgh’s annual rookie tournament.

WBS currently has nine players signed on ATO contracts with the club this season: Jan Drozg, Jake Lucchini, Chris Brown, Brandon Hawkins, Chase Berger, Michael Kim, Jon Lizzotte, and now Addison and Bellerive.