Ottawa musician Gabriel Eliasson focused on next step with Belleville Senators
The 6-foot-7 defenceman led the OHL in penalty minutes last season and is pushing to make the jump to the American Hockey League this fall.
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Gabriel Eliasson doesn't see the point in returning to the Barrie Colts for another Ontario Hockey League season. The 6-foot-7 Senators prospect wants to take the next step.
After leading the OHL in penalty minutes last season with 122, Eliasson is hungry to test his game against professional men. "I've been in the OHL for two years now and the league is getting smaller and I'm getting bigger," he told the Ottawa Citizen at Sens development camp recently. "I want to take the next step in my career."
Eliasson moved to North America from Sweden three years ago looking for a harder edge. The OHL gave him that — he found himself comfortable throwing big hits and playing aggressively. But Senators director of player development Sam Gagner says the team actually has to dial him back sometimes. "He's a guy that's super physical, super engaged," Gagner said. "And that's a hard thing to teach to a guy."
The Swedish defenceman knows his path forward. He needs to improve his skating and puck skills over the off-season, particularly his first pass out of the defensive zone. "I always feel like the higher I play, the better I play, because I play against better players," Eliasson said. "I think it's also easier to play against a little bit stronger guys because I can play my game fully, like to 100 percent without getting too violent." His goal is to make the Belleville Senators' roster in the fall.
