Photo Credit: Zack Hill
The big man, 6’2, 205 pound, from Myrtle, MB, CAN, Wade Allison in just a short time unleashed some fury on his opponents, but he has had his fair share of injuries problems. He has endured an injury riddled career thus far at times, but when healthy he shows promise. Allison has faced adversity after adversity with injuries during the last three years of his collegiate hockey career, and that filtered in to his professional career at the AHL/NHL levels. Allison is physical, good along the boards, has an absolute blast, and creates a net front presence that the Flyers could use in the future.
A few weeks ago the Flyers chose to waive Wade Allison, and after he went unclaimed he went to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Both he and Tanner Laczynski were supposed to be the first call-ups when that time arose. Laczynski has readapted himself with the Phantoms, unfortunately though Allison has not. Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperrière has some not so nice things to say about Allison this past weekend, “He’s probably disappointed to be here,” Laperriere said to Bill Meltzer. “Look at Lacz, he’s come down and is doing everything.” Laperrière did say that Allison could use this demotion as motivation, and said the entire league has taken notice to how this has all transpired. Lappy did not say that it’s time to give up on Allison, but he wants him to be better.
Allison was being groomed as the 13th Forward if he indeed made the Flyers roster on opening night. He just seem to fell out of favor with Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella, but he was a very popular teammate with the likes of Joel Farabee and Tyson Foerster to name a few.
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With Allison on the Flyers roster, the orange and black more than likely were going to use at 13-7-3 system for opening night, 13 Forwards, 7 Defensemen, 3 Goalies. With Allison being waived, this paved the way for Emil Andrae and Bobby Brink to make the team, with Rasmus Ristolainen on Injured Reserve (IR). Tortorella said, “I thought he made a bunch of mistakes, but right after mistake he makes a good play,” Tortorella said of Emil Andrae. “I don’t think he’s afraid of anything, I don’t think he’s afraid to make a mistake. I like a lot of things about him.”
The young 26-year-old in Allison just wanted to show people that the Flyers did not make a mistake by drafting him, and that he is healthy. If a person has seen Allison play in prior years, then he or she would notice his gifted hands. He can shoot and pass on top of being a physical guy. Allison enjoyed success for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and he really enjoyed the pressure of his first year as a professional, after recovering from ankle surgery that kept him out through Flyers camp, and the first part of the AHL season.
Then things began to unravel after he had injury after injury last season. He’s a power forward, and that is quite evident, but John Tortorella has tried changing his game to be more North, as opposed to East/West. Tortorella said last year that if Allison continued to go East/West, then he would “East/West out of the lineup.” Maybe Allison hasn’t adjusted to his new role.
Allison was once seen as a fan favorite in his short stint with the orange and black. He is known for playing rock, scissors, paper with the young fans before the game, then he flips a puck to them. Kids alike, look up to him and maybe some have dealt with an injury or injuries and have become down on themselves. Well, Wade has a message to those that may be struggling with overcoming some type of adversity with an injury. I asked him a few years before a game if he had a message for those that look up to him, “Yea keep pushing, do today and do yourself tomorrow,” Wade said. Hopefully, Wade figures things out this week and gets ready to beat Hershey this weekend.
