The Path Less Taken: Brayden Velliaris
By: Jonathan Dixon
Only some paths to the OHL are the same. Some are drafted and work their way onto a team, some come from other leagues and countries, while others earn their spot through hard work and dedication. Brayden Velliaris made a name for himself after a solid training camp which made the undrafted defenceman earn a spot on the blueline for the Petes.
Born in 2005, Velliaris played the last two seasons with the Mississauga Chargers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). After going undrafted in the OHL Priority Selection and U18 Priority Selection in back-to-back years, he was invited to the Petes Development Camp and Training Camp over the summer. The Toronto native was impressive with both his skills and his attitude and was offered an OHL scholarship and development agreement in September.
“Being invited I was ecstatic, it was unbelievable,” Velliaris remarked. “You have the end goal of making the team, but just getting the invite was an awesome start and I was thrilled to be there.”
After cracking the roster, Velliaris has his sights set on pre-season and the opportunity to play against his brother, Xander Velliaris, who was picked in the 3rd round by the Kingston Frontenacs in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. “We knew when I was invited to camp that there would be a possibility of playing against each other in the pre-season,” Velliaris said. “We were excited that it happened. Hopefully, we will get to play against each other in a regular season game. If not this year, then hopefully next.”
Earning his spot wasn’t easy. “Hard work is something that I have tried to build myself on,” Velliaris remarked. “I was passed over in the OHL Priority Selection twice, so I knew I had to work harder than others do. I do whatever I can every day to get better, whether as a person, hockey player or teammate.”
“Every day, I try to give it my all. Every drill and rep I get is a chance to improve.” Velliaris said. “I know it’s cliché, but practicing how you play is important. I practice as hard as possible, so I’m as prepared as I can be during game situations. If you don’t practice hard enough, you aren’t going to play the way you want to.”
It’s not just in practice that Velliaris tries to improve his game. “During the summer, I enjoy golfing. This year, I picked up a new hobby with some of the guy’s fishing. For the most part, I like to stay active, and I like being outdoors. When I am away from the rink, I try to relax and spend my time outdoors, but hockey is my first true love when it comes to sports,” Velliaris said. “One of the things I have taken from golf is attitude. In golf, you have to be relaxed to play well. If you are too worried about where the ball will go, it won’t go where you want it to. Transferring that mindset to hockey, you need to be relaxed and be focused when you are on the ice, and I feel like you can play better when you have that mindset.”
As Petes fans get to know him more, they may be surprised to find out that the 6’2 205 lbs. defenseman is a vegetarian. “Most people who aren’t involved with the team wouldn’t know that I am a vegetarian. If you look at me and my size, some people would think that I love eating steak, burgers and all of that, but it’s the opposite,” Velliaris commented. “At the start, it was tough to make sure I was getting all the right nutrients, but I have been doing it for so long now that I don’t find it hard anymore. It involves a lot of supplements, like protein powder, so I make sure I recover properly.”
Coming to the midseason holiday break and earning his first OHL point on November 9th, Velliaris continues to push forward to become the best player and teammate that he can be and prove to everyone that he deserves to be in the league.
