If you take a few minutes to scroll through Drew Helleson’s Twitter feed, you’ll find birthday greetings directed at a staggering amount of talented hockey players, including Division I commits Bobby Brink (Denver), McKade Webster (Yale) and Mike Koster (Minnesota).

“Everybody knows everybody,” Helleson said succinctly of his hockey connections on Saturday afternoon.   

Such is the social media existence of a player who’s donned two of hockey’s most iconic uniforms; the black and burgundy of Shattuck-St. Mary’s and the red, white and blue of the United States National Team Development program.

Helleson, a Boston College commit, made the jump from the boarding school in Faribault (MN) to the national team’s feeder program in Ann Arbor this season and is currently the only Minnesotan on the Under-17 roster. 

“Obviously Shattuck has a pretty good hockey program and a lot of the best players across the country play there,” Helleson said. 

“But it doesn’t compare to (the NTDP),” Helleson added, citing a more intense atmosphere in practices and games and the overall level of competition faced while playing for Team USA. 

“It’s a grind, but it’s worth it.”

Helleson, a Farmington native, and his NTDP squad played a pair of games in New Hope this weekend against the top competition form the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. After a 5-1 win over league-leader Team Southwest on Saturday, the NTDP emerged victorious again on Sunday with a 6-5 triumph over an all-star team of Elite League standouts.

Adjusting to the aforementioned intensity is never easy for a player, with Helleson saying that quality rest is one of the keys to maintaining mental strength. 

“Sleep is a big factor,” Helleson said. “I need a lot of sleep for these days,” he added with a smile, adding that teammates picking each other up on the toughest days also plays a big role in keeping morale high.  

As for his commitment to the Eagles, Helleson is one of seven players on the NTDP roster to pledge their attendance to Chestnut Hill. 

“I love the coaches, I love Boston,” Helleson explained. 

“Obviously Jerry York is a great coach, and he’s won a lot of hockey games.”

Helleson and his teammates will be back in action on Oct. 21st with a battle against the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI.