‘“I’ve always been a so-called underdog. Never drafted. I just kinda scratched and clawed my way up the ladder,” said Ellis, who has played in 441 AHL games and 331 NHL games in three organizations. “Those are all lessons I’ve learned just through experience. But I also know that on good teams everyone has a role and that’s all part of it – being a good teammate, doing the extra work, having those day-to-day habits and being positive. That’s all part of the package and it all fits together.”’