Since joining the Saskatoon Blades organization in 2019 as a 12th-round draft pick, ‘Stone Cold’ Austin Elliott has been slowly taking the Western Hockey League by storm.
Embracing the WWE-inspired nicknamed honouring famed wrestler ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, the 19-year-old has launched a T-shirt design in partnership with the team.
Elliott is now taking a ‘Stone Cold Stunner’ to his latest challenge, that becoming Saskatoon’s undisputed starting netminder.
“This is what I’ve been working towards for my whole life, I guess, and I think I’m ready for it,” said Elliott.
“I hold myself to a high standard, so do the coaches, so does the team. I think I’m ready to take on the challenge and show everyone what I’m all about.”
Splitting the Blades net with Ethan Chadwick as a rookie throughout last season, the crease now firmly belongs to Elliott following a trade this summer sending Chadwick to the Everett Silvertips.
Elliott surpassed all expectations in 2022-23 posting a dazzling 25-6-3 regular season record with a 2.20 goals against average and a .911 save percentage before earning a pair of Game 7 victories in the post-season against Regina and Red Deer.
Those accolades were enough for the Strathmore, Alta., product to be named to the Canadian Hockey League’s All-Rookie Team.
“He’s the best goalie in the league for sure,” said forward Brandon Lisowsky. “He battles, he takes care of himself, he’s the backbone back there and he’s going to win us a lot of games this year.”
Elliott has received attention from the professional level as well, recently returning from his first NHL training camp with the Nashville Predators.
Where he got the chance to not only learn from NHL all-star Juuse Saros, but Predators icon Pekka Rinne who is now serving as one of the team’s development coaches.
“Just practicing, working with him every day was super cool,” said Elliott. “I tried to soak it all in and take as much away from it as I could.”
“I definitely noticed that’s helped me a lot when I came back here, it sort of seems like everything is a bit slower. So I definitely feel really good, really confident and it was a super cool experience that I’m super grateful for.”
Even with all the success Elliott achieved in his first season in Saskatoon, head coach Brennan Sonne believes his ceiling can be even higher.
That includes but isn’t limited to potentially representing Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship and turning heads of NHL scouts.
“He’s a hell of a goalie and he’s huge for us,” said Sonne. “It’s really important to keep that momentum. It’s like, ‘Okay you’re here now ‘Oz’, you got your NHL camp, eyes are on you. Well let’s take another step, let’s not just rest on this. Let’s go crack the World Junior team, let’s go push for that job, let’s go get a contract, get drafted.'”
Recording 16 saves in a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings to earn his second win of the season Wednesday, Elliott is expecting to have an increased workload with rookie Evan Gardner behind him on the depth chart.
Those extra games aren’t something that scares Elliott, however. In fact, it’s consistency he’s craving now, wanting to be the goaltender who finally brings a WHL championship to Saskatoon.
“It just makes me hungry for more,” said Elliott. “At the same time I’m not satisfied with last year, we want to win a championship here this year. So that’s what I’m going to try to help the team do.”
Elliott is expected to be in net Saturday night, as the Blades (3-2) will host the Regina Pats at 7:00 pm for ‘Pink in the Rink Night.’
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