This season, Bellemare has skated in 47 games with the Avalanche, registering seven goals and one assist and leads the Avs forwards in short-handed ice time at 104:20. His penalty-killing abilities and his role as a two-way forward are some of his top qualities, but the impact he makes through his leadership, personality and effort is one that isn't found everywhere and is what has been with him every step of the way.
"True professional," said Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar of Bellemare. "Extremely unselfish guy, everything is team first, when you talk to him you get that impression from him right away, it's just the type of leader and guy he is. [He's] real good with the young guys, his linemates, making them feel comfortable, a great communicator. It doesn't surprise me that he hit 500 because even coming to the league as late as he did, he just takes care of himself off the ice. Does all the right things with his training, his recovery work, diet, all of it. Working on days off, he's always out on the ice, helping with goalies. It's just the type of guy he is, so congrats to him."
His focus on hard work, having a positive attitude and a love for the game is what has rubbed off on everyone Bellemare has played with. It is what makes Bellemare a joy to be around and one of the reasons he hit 500 games in the NHL.
"He means a lot," said Avalanche forward Andre Burakovsky. "He's definitely one of the best teammates, he's always positive. He's always coming in with a smile, he's always bringing a lot of energy to the locker room. For me coming to a new team [when joining the Avs] and he was new too, we kind of bonded a little bit because he was talking perfect Swedish and I had conversations with him. I think it's really good and really fun to have him on the team, and he's working his back off every day for the team and sacrificing himself for the team every day."