They’re the can’t-miss kids of Commonwealth Avenue, the young guns with one part talent, one part confidence and one part swagger. They’re some of hockey’s best and brightest, all born in the summer of 1998. They were first-round picks in last summer’s NHL Draft, and who knows how long they’ll call Agganis Arena home.
The fact of the matter, though, is Kieffer Bellows, Dante Fabbro and Clayton Keller at long last are part of the Boston University men’s hockey team. Their junior hockey careers have morphed into highlight reels and memories, as they’re finally playing for David Quinn and living among the Beantown buzz.
Hockey East rivals are astir, too, wondering just how much damage they can do. And while gossip about the future follows them at every turn, they’re basking in Quinn’s fast-paced, skilled system, watching the next step of their lifelong dream unfold.
“Playing college hockey is something so many people want to do, and to play here at BU is really special for me,” Keller said. “Sometimes when you’re bored or relaxing, you sit back and think about how far we’ve come, but we still have so much to prove. The draft doesn’t mean too much; they’re just giving you an opportunity and you still have to prove yourself. That goes with here, too.”
Although humble, Keller, a 5-foot-10 center, and his two close friends have earned their esteem, all at the ripe age of 18. They quickly became some of the nation’s most-prized recruits and assembled resumes that leave mouths agape.
With the U.S. National Team Development Program, Keller scored a program-best 189 points, while Bellows scored a team-high 50 goals for the U.S. U18 team last year. Not to be outdone, Fabbro was named the Best Defenseman in the British Columbia Hockey League in 2015-16.
When the 2016 NHL Draft rolled around this past June in Buffalo, New York, it was as though BU’s freshmen sensations got the red carpet treatment — Keller’s name was called seventh overall by the Arizona Coyotes, Fabbro’s 17th overall by the Nashville Predators and Bellows’ 19th overall by the New York Islanders.
Their accolades form a mouthful, but Fabbro stressed it’s all about living in the moment.
“We try not to look too far ahead of things or too far back,” the 6-foot-1 defenseman from British Columbia said. “We’re all pretty even keel, so we’re focused on the team aspect of things now. The individual stuff is great, but we’re more looking to win championships for BU.”
As Fabbro alluded to, hopes are high over what the trio can accomplish, so far as it’s easy to lose sight of the fact they’re still teens. And every once in awhile that means tuning out the outside noise.
“Coming to the rink every day, hanging out with the guys, it takes your mind away from all the distractions,” Bellows, a 6-foot-1 winger said. “Yeah, it’s hard to stay away from it with all the social media stuff now, but with the draft over and this past summer over, it’s easier to tune it out. Hanging out with these guys really just lightens the mood and brings you to a different world.”
That different world exists outside the confines of Agganis, too, with Bellows rattling off moments that show how close the new teammates are. There were summer visits to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox and a trip to TD Garden to watch Matt Grzelcyk, the recently-graduated BU captain, play a preseason game for the Boston Bruins against the Detroit Red Wings.
A small group even attended Drake and Future’s concert at the Garden in August, while another memory drew a chorus of laughs all around. Bellows recalled when all nine freshmen were stuffed in Chad Krys’ car, piled on top of their bags. Sticks were poking everywhere, they were joking the whole 10-minute ride and, perhaps most telling of the group’s bond, Fabbro couldn’t help but snicker when looking back on it.
“Oh god, I forgot about that,” Fabbro said. “That was brutal.”
Their camaraderie surfaces in other walks of life, ones that remind people these future NHLers are still first-year college students. Bellows said the Chipotle on BU’s campus is a team favorite, while Fabbro insisted Yamato on Boylston Street is the better spot with all-you-can-eat sushi. And, with Keller pushing the point, they all agreed that Johnny McDermott is the jokester of the freshmen class.
“Just the way Johnny says stuff is ridiculous, and he’s an enjoyable, fun kid to be around,” Bellows said. “A complete goofball.”
Lighthearted moments aside, Quinn said Fabbro, Keller and Bellows will be thrust into vital roles right from day one. The latter two should play on the same line, much like their NTDP days, while Fabbro is a shoe-in for considerable ice time in what’s a packed blue-line corps.
When those moments come around, Quinn said, it’s entirely possible a 24-year-old from the University of Massachusetts Lowell or Merrimack College will be gunning for them. In other words, they’ll be skating all season with a target on their backs. The trio will have one charge before them: stay focused and let their talent take care of the rest.
“The biggest challenge is, these kids have to mature mentally in a hurry, and that’s going to take some time,” Quinn said. “People have to be patient, and we have to be patient with them.”
Quinn recognizes, however, that fans of BU and their future NHL teams expect big things from Fabbro, Keller and Bellows. In response, the fourth-year head coach said when each player is ready to play in the NHL, he should go, as that’s the reality of the type of player who puts on a Terrier jersey.
Before that inevitable day rolls around, Fabbro, Keller and Bellows agreed they’re looking to leave a legacy at BU. They’re one third of what’s been widely dubbed a special incoming class, and they have the potential, alongside a bevy of experienced players, to capture silverware.
“I think we can win a national championship this year; there’s no doubt about it,” Keller said. “We have the skill and the leadership to do that, so it’s just a matter of staying focused and not listening to the outside noise. We’ll have a good chance.”
That levelheaded approach is something Quinn reiterated, saying it’s important that Fabbro, Keller and Bellows are wary of not letting the talk get to their heads. But early signs, Quinn said, show that won’t be the case, with each working hard in the weight room, sticking around for extra reps after practice and soaking in every coaching tip.
Above all, though, Bellows stressed how fortunate he and his teammates are to play for BU. And with that chance, Keller and Fabbro agreed, success won’t ever be a given.
But if all goes to plan, the trio’s impact at Agganis will long be remembered.
“We all want to leave an exciting legacy,” Fabbro said. “There’s a reason why we came to BU, and it’s for the hockey and schooling, but we all want to be NHL players some day. We can put ourselves in an atmosphere to succeed with coach Quinn and the players around us, so we want to keep our head on even. The rest will come.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
