2020-21 Hockey Roster

#5 Matt Hellickson 2019-20 Hockey Roster

Defenseman


Height 6-1
Weight 192 lbs.
Class Senior
Hometown Rogers, Minnesota
Last Team Sioux City (USHL)
Matt Hellickson - Hockey - Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Pronunciation Audio

2020-21 AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Academic All-Big Ten (March 17)
  • Senior CLASS Finalist (March 3)
  • Honorable Mention Preseason All-Big Ten (Nov. 11)

AS A SENIOR

  • Served as an alternate captain and was a team representative on Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council for the third consecutive year. 
  • Skated in all 29 games for the Irish, totaling eight points on a goal and seven assists.
  • Scored at Michigan (Jan. 21).
  • Had a pair of assists in Notre Dame’s 2-0 win at Michigan State (Feb. 26).
  • Closed the season on a three-game point streak (0-3-3).
  • In his four year career, Hellickson skated in 146-consecutive games for the Irish, totaling 13 goals and 39 assists for 52 points.
  • After his senior season, signed professionally with the Binghamton Devils (AHL) and made his professional debut.
  • Then he joined Team USA for the 2021 World Championships in Riga, Latvia where he played in nine games and notched an assist en route to earning a Bronze medal.

2019-20 AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (May 11)
  • Academic All-Big Ten (May 11)

AS A JUNIOR 

  • Scored five goals and recorded 11 assists in 37 games played as a junior.
  • His five goals were tied with Nick Leivermann for the team lead among defensemen.
  • Led the Irish with three game-winning goals. 
  • Blocked 81 shots on the season to lead the Irish and rank fourth in the NCAA.
  • Scored one goal in the 5-2 victory over Lake Superior State (Oct. 25).
  • Recorded two assists in the 4-2 loss against #7/7 Penn State (Dec. 13), marking his first multi-point game of the season and the fourth of his career.
  • Scored one goal in the 4-1 victory over #19 Western Michigan (Jan. 5).
  • Scored a goal in the 3-3 tie against #8 Penn State (Jan. 31).
  • Scored a goal in the 2-1 road victory against Michigan (Feb. 21).

2018-19 AWARDS AND HONORS
• Big Ten All-Academic Team

AS A SOPHOMORE

• Skated in all 40 games with the Irish, totaling four goals, 12 assists and a +5 rating.
• Scored his first goal of the season in Notre Dame’s 2-1 loss at 14th-ranked Michigan (Nov. 9).
• Followed up with his first career two-assist game in Notre Dame’s 6-2 win at Michigan (Nov. 10), which also marked his first career multi-point game.
• Had a career-high three points in Notre Dame’s 5-4 win at ninth-raked Penn State (Dec. 7), notching the opening Irish goal and adding a pair of assists.
• Scored what turned out to be the game winner in Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Boston College (Dec. 31), which was also his first power-play goal of the season.
• Had the primary assist on Michael Graham’s game-tying goal at the United Center in Notre Dame’s 2-2 tie with Wisconsin (Jan. 20).
• Had a pair of assists in Notre Dame’s 5-2 win over Michigan (Feb. 12).
• Scored Notre Dame’s first goal, which also came on the power play, in an eventual 5-4 overtime win against Penn State (March 1).


AS A FRESHMAN

  • Notched an assist in his first career game, a 5-3 win over Alabama Huntsville (Oct. 6).
  • Added an assist in 4-0 game two win over the Chargers (Oct. 7).
  • Had the primary assist on Dawson Cook’s third-period, game-winning goal in Notre Dame’s 5-3 victory against Penn State (Nov. 10).
  • Scored his first career goal with a power-play tally in Notre Dame’s 2-1 win at Michigan (Jan. 5).
  • Netted what proved to be the game-winning power-play goal against Michigan in the 2-1 Irish win at home to complete the weekend sweep (Jan. 7).
  • It marked his first career game winner.
  • Recorded points in both B1G playoff games, an assist against Penn State (March 10) and a goal versus Ohio State (March 18).
  • Blocked two shots in the Frozen Four game against Michigan (April 5).


NHL DRAFT

Selected in the seventh round, 214th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

IN THE USHL

  • Joined the Irish after playing the 2016-17 season with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
  • Named an alternate captain for the Musketeers after being selected first overall in the 2016 USHL entry draft.
  • Skated in 52 games and scored six goals and added 22 assists for 28 points before adding a playoff goal to bring his total to 29 total points on the season.
  • His 28 regular-season points ranked ninth among USHL defensemen in 2016-17, while his +19 plus/minus rating also ranked ninth among USHL defensemen.
  • Earned USHL Defenseman of the Week honors twice.

WITH USA HOCKEY

  • Played the 2014-15 (U17) and 2015-16 (U18) seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
  • In 2014-15, he skated in 30 games at the junior level (0-1-1) and 49 games with the  U.S. National U17 Team (1-3-4).
  • Contributed two assists in four games to help Team USA to a gold medal finish at the Under-18 Four Nations Tournament in Monthey, Switzerland in 2015.
  • In 2015-16, he played in 25 games at the USHL level (0-5-5) as well as another 64 games with the U.S. National U18 Team (0-16-16).
  • Won a gold medal in 2016-17 at the Under-19 World Jr. A Challenge with Team USA, where he was captain and had one assist in five games.
  • Won a bronze medal in 2015-16 at the Under-18 World Junior Championships with Team USA, where he had four assists in seven games.

PREP & PERSONAL

  • Attended from Rogers High School in Rogers, Minnesota, where he played Royal’s hockey from 2012-14.
  • Graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  • Scored eight goals and notched 30 assists to earn All-Conference honors in 2013-14.
  • Son of Paul Hellickson and Danielle Benton and has an older brother, Jake, and a younger sister, Maya.
  • Majoring in Finance.

CAREER HIGHS
Goals: 1 (12x – at Michigan 2/21/20)
Assists: 2 (5x – vs. Penn State 12/14/19)
Points: 3 (at Penn State 12/7/18)
Multi-Point Games: 5
Point Streak: 5 games (Oct. 13 – Nov. 2; 2-3-5)
Most Recent Goal: at Michigan 2/21/20