Gabriel Fortier’s professional career hasn’t progressed the way the way the 25-year old had hoped it would have. He was drafted by the Lightning in the 2nd round (pick No. 59 overall) of the 2018 NHL draft out of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Since then, most of his career, specifically the last five years have been spent with the Lightning’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Over the course of his AHL career (285 games) he scored 55 goals, had 64 assists and a total 119 points.
Fortier’s best season came in 2021 when he had 14 goals, 21 assists, and a career-high 35 point season.
In his five years with the organization, he has only appeared in 11 games with the Lightning, scoring one goal for point.
Since that 2021 season in which he made his Lightning debut and had his career-best season with Syracuse, he hasn’t been the same on the ice and has struggled to find success, finding his time on the ice decreasing and his overall game taking a hit.
This past 2024-25 season, he scored just 11 goals, had only eight assists, and 19 points in 50 games.
With that, Fortier has decided he is ready for a fresh start. The lefty shooter is headed overseas to play the next two seasons with the Leksands IF in Sweden, having recently signed with the team from the Swedish Hockey League.
It is not uncommon for struggling professionally athletes to go overseas to look for a fresh start. Many NBA and MLB players will also sign with teams in other countries where they have a better chance at seeing game time on the field, court, ice, whatever their sport will be. After a few years, many times these players return to the United States improved and sign back on with a team in America and have success.
This could be the path and the story that Fortier follows. He could find that playing overseas helps him reset and then return to the United States and sign back on with an NHL organization.
But for now, the 5’11, 179lb left wing will spend the next two season in Sweden playing for the SHL Leksands.