Photo Credit: Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
Wade Allison has only suited up in 15 games for the Flyers in his NHL career, and has already making impactful strides. He has netted four goals, and three assists for his efforts for his NHL career thus far. That’s right, thus far, unfortunately he has not been able to stay healthy throughout his career. Last season he suffered an injury during the rookie game, and was sidelined for three months or more. Allison also made one appearance for the Flyers, and got hurt in that game. In addition, he also got hurt while playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Allison is still an important piece to the big club, and hopefully he can make an impact this season. For his efforts, Allison inked a new two-year, two-way/one-way contract a few days ago with an average annual value (AAV) of $785,000.
After moving on from Western Michigan and recovering from an injury, Allison suited up for eight games with the Phantoms and recorded four goals and five assists for nine total points. One thing Wade Allison does well is pressure the puck in all three zones. In a game against the Devils in 2020-21, he really showed his ability to beat players to the puck in the corners, whether it was on the forecheck or in the Flyers zone. This is something that the Flyers can lack sometimes, effort to the puck.
Allison also possesses strong skating and offensive skills. He goes hard to the net and does well to generate changes in front for himself and teammates. Allison is a physical player that combined with his offensive skills is a player that new Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella will love, “I need to allow them to play, but it’s going to be a two-way street,” John Tortorella said. “It needs to be a two-way street, just show me that you’re willing to give us something away from the puck. Not going to turn you into a checker, but you got to show me and more importantly show your teammates that you’re willing to do some of the other stuff as an offensive guy away from the puck. Then you have something and I think that’s what develops the right camaraderie of a hockey club. It develops the right attitude of a hockey club and how hard you have to be. I think it starts with your top guys. It’s kind of a give and take there.”
“It’s going to be a very difficult camp. High volume skating. They will be told about this during the summer. We’re attacking it. We’re attacking it. It’s not going to be I guess it’s a rebuild, retool, whatever language is used. I am approaching each and every day to try to make each individual player play better.” – John Tortorella
Wade is a player that Tortorella will love, he is exactly the embodiment of what Tortorella expects out of his players. He has the grit, and gives 100% effort every shift. All he has to do is stay healthy.
“A coaches’ job is to make them the absolute best people that they can be and the absolute best player they can be,” Tortorella said. “If the guy’s not the guy pushing them there, I’m going to push them there. You go through all that. Scotty Hartnell, I had to wrestle the room away from him in Columbus. I didn’t like the room when I went to Columbus. Him and I had wrestling matches about this and I benches Scotty. We had so many different conversations, but as we got through it, I loved the man. He was so good for us as we moved on with that team with his leadership. That’s where relationships are. The nonsense about the hardness and quitting on you, I don’t buy it and I never will. I’ve made mistakes, but we always have those conversations. They are going to know I care about them and they will eventually find out why I do the things that I do.”
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Allison will get his shot with Torts, he’s exactly the prototype player Tortorella needs.
Nice piece .
He will be hurt by game 20 and out for a chunk of time. It’s his mo. Some guys just cannot stay healthy. He is one of them.