SPOTLIGHT: Luke Ellinas
“The team and my teammates have been great in helping to guide me through it. Everyone has really made it feel like an easier transition for me, and it has helped me to get better. Whether it is advice from coaches and teammates or just helping to gel with the room, they have all welcomed me with open arms. It’s been awesome.”
When freshman forward Luke Ellinas found himself traded to a new team this offseason, the transition would prove to present itself as a challenge and a new opportunity. As he stepped foot for the first time as a member of the Kitchener Rangers, any initial apprehensions were put to ease when he was welcomed by his teammates and coaching staff with open arms in what he deems to be a tightly-knit group.
Under the guidance of leaders within the organization and the locker room, Ellinas has been integrated into the team seamlessly as he continues to put his best foot forward and find his rhythm offensively facilitated by the team’s playing style.
Ellinas originates from Etobicoke, Ontario, and picked up the game of hockey at the age of 3 claiming that he could not skate too well at the start, but ended up in the OHL, he joked. Despite growing up within the GTA, Ellinas followed in the footsteps of his father, who is a fan of the Ottawa Senators. More specifically, Ellinas’ favourite player was none other than Erik Karlsson who he cherished watching despite playing a different position than he did.
“My dad was a fan of Ottawa, so I just followed him with that. I was a big fan of Erik Karlsson even though he is a defenseman and I’m a forward, it sucked seeing him traded.”
Despite the ties to fandom in the sport, Ellinas’ parents allowed him to choose his path and his sports but encouraged him to work hard at something. Without a second glance, Ellinas chose hockey because any time being at the rink was the best. Like most kids living in Ontario playing the sport, Ellinas loved Fridays when he missed school to go play hockey and was always eager to be at the rink whenever he had the chance.
Ellinas grew up with two brothers and a sister, none of whom partake in the on-ice sport, but are all athletic. His sibling camaraderie helped to build his confidence and competitive mindset in athletics.
“I have two brothers and a sister. None of them play hockey but all of them are pretty athletic, we used to be pretty competitive with basketball in the driveway growing up.”
Even with the missed time, the Barrie Colts selected the 6-foot-1 winger 29th overall in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, which held tremendous upside. Upon signing with the Colts, it was in his best interest to play in the OHL, but that did not come to fruition. Instead, Ellinas played in the OJHL for the North York Rangers, amounting to 23 points in 44 games played. With a new season on the horizon, a chance to play in the OHL this year presented itself through a trade with the Rangers that was the best thing that could have happened.
“I played in the OJHL last year for North York and got traded in the summer to Kitchener. It’s truly been unreal, it’s been really great. Everything has been amazing and it was the best thing that could have happened.”
Coming into the new year, Ellinas felt he was as ready as ever to make his OHL debut with a fresh slate ahead of him. Since putting on the blue, red, and white, Ellinas has played in every game for the Rangers this season, notching seven goals and twelve assists. As a relatively younger player, at 17 years old, on a younger team, he has been focused on contributing in any way he can; playmaking, working hard, and focusing on being a two-way player.
Even though he has a bubbly personality off the ice, Ellinas perceives himself to be an aggressor on the ice in a Brady Tkachuk style of approach. Like Tkachuk, he has made it a goal for himself to evolve into a prominent leader within the organization and stay dialled in for the long haul. For the team as a whole, he is keen on doing his part to push the group to the next level with one goal in mind; a championship. With the opportunity to play at the Aud, Ellinas feels the reverberation within the rink from the passion of Rangers fans throughout the regular season. He can only imagine what the support would be like in the pursuit of glory.
“I watched a couple of playoff games last year and the atmosphere was unbelievable, it made me really excited to come here. No one here is getting too high or thinking we are too good. We just need to keep working our hardest and improving. If that happens, we believe we can win a championship along the way.”
