2023-24 Team: HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
Date of Birth: Sept 9, 2006
Place of Birth: Kungsbacka, SWE
Ht: 6-Foot-7 Wt: 205 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 29th (among EU skaters)
- Future Considerations: 88th
- Peter Baracchini’s March Rankings: 71st
Defensively, a lot of attention is being paid attention to 6-foot-7 Russian Anton Silyayev of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the Kontinental Hockey League. Silyayev’s high-end talent is undeniable, but if a team is looking to add size to their defensive prospect pool they’re not out of luck entirely once Silyayev goes off the board. Swedish defenseman Gabriel Eliasson may not have the same top-level potential as Silyayev, but his frame is very similar.
Eliasson is set to move to North America soon, as he’s committed to the University of Michigan. That program has historically been very good at developing players, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a general manager take a chance on the big defender earlier than most experts expect.
He’s a very raw prospect who is going to take quite a bit of time to develop. If he does reach the NHL, then he could become a very good role player, but he’s very unlikely to be a star. At most, I’d expect him to fill a bottom-pairing role at the NHL level; however, he’s more likely to be a depth option over the course of his career.
Gabriel Eliasson – NHL Draft Projection
There’s a chance that Eliasson sneaks into the tail end of the second round, however it’s much more likely he comes off the board in the third round or even later. Despite having one of the most important intangibles, size, there’s no guarantee he develops into the player that scouts would love to see him become. Silyayev is expected to be the next generation’s Zdeno Chara, and Eliasson is almost the exact same size as Silyayev. However, Eliasson is nowhere near a safe pick. He’s very far away from being NHL-ready, so there’s always a chance he never reaches that level.
Quotables
He is relatively mobile for a kid this large with good footwork and skating ability. Takes few undisciplined pics along the way, as he will use his stick, elbows, and hits to intimidate opposing attackers as he engages physically in front of the net and along the boards with frequency. – Bill Plazcek (Lines)
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
The handling is the main drawback, causing him to consistently fumble pucks and whiff on his passing attempts. – Lassi Alanen, Elite Prospects (from ‘Scout’s notebook: Checking in on some of NHL Central Scouting’s top-rated Swedish defense prospects’, Elite Prospects, March 15, 2024.
Massive defender who plays to a consistent identity. Average plus skater. Length assists with defending and keeping opponents to the perimeter. – CapFriendly
Strengths
- Physicality
- Solid Defensively
- Penalty Killer
Under Construction- Improvements to Make
- Limited offensive contribution
- Very long-term project
- Still growing into large frame
- Skating ability leaves much to be desired.
- Puck handling skills need significant improvement.
NHL Potential
Eliasson’s size is beneficial, but as we’ve seen historically, that’s never a guarantee of success in the NHL. More often than not, players of this size fizzle out before making it to the NHL. However, if Eliasson is able to keep up with the pace of the league, then he could become a very solid bottom-pairing defenseman. His skating is the most significant issue that could prevent him from becoming a regular at the NHL level, though.
Risk- Reward Analysis
Risk – 5, Reward – 2
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense- 2, Defense – 6
Awards/ Achievements
U-18 IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medalist with Sweden
Stats
Videos
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