Hackney is not the only key player that Boro have lost during the run-in.
Top scorer Morgan Whittaker did not feature in five of the seven winless games across March and April, while defender Alfie Jones has been absent since Christmas after ankle surgery.
But Hellberg is thankful how Redcar-born Hackney has shrugged off personal disappointment to maintain a positive presence in and around the squad.
“Of course it’s tough for him at the end of the season where it matters most, we lose the league’s best player,” he added.
“We’ve had a lot of tough times losing big players through the season, now Hayden has been fighting with that and he’s done absolutely brilliant in how he’s reacted.
“He’s been amazing in trying to support the team in any way he can.”
