Surrey, B.C. – The Surrey Eagles are proud to announce the commitment of 2003 born defenseman Oliver Gabrielson for the 2021-22 BCHL season. Gabrielson comes to Surrey after playing with St. George’s U18 team in the CSSHL, and is the 4th new player committed for next season.
Gabrielson is from Vancouver, B.C. and comes to the Eagles as an explosive offensive defenseman for Cam Keith’s blueline next season. The right shot defenseman played 36 games during the 2019-20 season, and scored 5 goals and 19 points to go along with 20 penalty minutes. Before the 2020-21 season was shut down, Gabrielson played in 4 games, scoring a goal and adding 2 assists. Oliver stands 5’9 and weighs around 174 pounds.
For Oliver, it’s a testament to the hard work he put in to earn his spot. Gabrielson skated at Eagles training camp in September, vying for a spot on the roster. When asked about why he ended up choosing Surrey as his destination to play for next season, Gabrielson responded. “I went to Surrey’s camp last year, and started to talking to Cam Keith last summer. I really like Cam as a coach, I asked guys who played here last year and came to the conclusion it’d be a great spot to play in.”
When asked to give a scouting report on himself, Oliver highlighted his offensive game. “I think I’m going to be more of an offensive defenseman, but I’ll use all of my skills to help the team win.”
For an offensive defenceman like Oliver, he knows it’ll be an adjustment to get himself up to speed, but looks forward to playing on the olympic sized ice. “The BCHL will be just a bit faster. Obviously with guys being older I’ll need to adjust to the pace. The extra space on the ice will give us more room to make plays and see the ice, and I’m really excited to play there.”
When asked about his newest recruit, Cam was quick to highlight Oliver’s hockey IQ. “He’s one of the more cerebral hockey players play the game. He’s a kid who makes plays with his mind. He sees plays develop, and can slow the game down when he wants. He sees the right play almost every time and we’ll rely on him to drive offence from our blue-line on the olympic sized ice.”
Welcome to the team Oliver!
