It’s my Parting Shot to explain how a young man from Strathmore, Alberta, ends up in London, Ontario, and part of a Memorial Cup championship team…..
Austin Elliott’s (pictured) journey started during the 2019 W-H-L Bantam Draft – the days when the terms “Bantam”, “Midget”, “Pee Wee”, etcetera, could be used before the politically-correct police intervened – when he was selected in the 12th round by the Saskatoon Blades.
You heard me right, I said the 12th round!
While Strathmore, Alberta, was his hometown, “Auzzie” was already living away from their, playing hockey at Notre Dame and Athol Murray College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan.
His numbers in his Bantam Draft year weren’t eye-popping, hence the lateness of his selection by the Bridge City Bunch. From there, Elliott progressed and played two games for the Blue and Gold as a 17-year-old in the 2021-22 season after shining with the S-J-H-L’s Hounds, back-stopping a mediocre team at best to the playoffs.
As 18-year-olds in 2022-23, Elliott and Ethan Chadwick pretty much split Saskatoon’s goaltending duties all season, playing very well until the Blades ran out of gas in the W-H-L’s Eastern Conference final against the Winnipeg ICE.
A tough decision was made in the off-season going into 2023-24 – in Austin’s favour. Rather than go with two 19-year-old goaltenders who felt they should be the starter and get the bulk of the work, the Bridge City Bunch sent Chadwick to Everett to make room for up-and-coming prospect Evan Gardner.
Despite the Blue and Gold winning 50 games and finishing first overall in the W-H-L, Elliott had a spotty season – performance-wise – so much so, that head coach Brennan Sonne went to Gardner for Game 2 of the opening round of the 2024 playoffs after Austin was leaky in a 4-3 opening game loss to visiting Prince Albert. Gardner shone, taking the Blades to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final before being sidelined.
Going into the 2024-25 season, the writing was on the wall for Austin Elliott and his time in Saskatoon. He was 20 and only three, so-called, overage players are allowed on C-H-L teams. The Bridge City Bunch had a bevy of good 20-year-olds and chose to move forward with left winger Brandon Lisowsky plus defencemen Grayden Siepman and captain Ben Saunderson – a pretty solid trio of 20s!
The Blue and Gold offered Elliott around to the other 21 W-H-L teams, with no takers. Even after the Blades released Austin, no Dub team brought him on board so Elliott’s agent looked around the rest of the C-H-L and got a positive response from the Barrie Colts.
However, the Colts couldn’t commit to Austin as one of their trio of overagers and let him go before Dale Hunter and the London Knights snapped him up and the rest is, as they say, history!
You can wonder – and even blame – the Blades for letting Austin Elliott go, but at the time, it was the right move to make and no other W-H-L team took a chance on him, so shame on them as well if that’s the opinion you wish to take!
All I know is, I’m happy for Austin Elliott – a fine, young man who will flourish I’m sure at UMass-Lowell and the N-C-A-A this coming season!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!
