Welcome back to Top Shelf NHL Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2015 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Sports is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! The following is a complete listing of all our 2016 Draft Articles.
Wade Allison recently finished his second season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He put up nine goals and 16 points in 11 playoff games in leading the Storm to the USHL’s Clark Cup. The strong playoff was a continuation of Allison’s breakout campaign, one where he put up 25 goals and 47 points in 56 regular season games. After a slow start, he was really coming on in the second half of the year, with 28 points in the last 22 regular season games. Allison also played in the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, where he picked up a goal and an assist for Team West, winning the team’s MVP award in a losing cause. Allison is committed to play for the University of Western Michigan Broncos next season. Should he change his mind and go the WHL route, his draft rights are owned by the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Wade Allison Scouting Report: 2016 NHL Draft #68
Right Wing/Centre — shoots Right
Born Oct 14 1997 — Roland, Manitoba
Height 6’02” — Weight 206 lbs [188 cm/93 kg]
Wade Allison plays a simple game, but a highly physical and highly effective one. He is a budding power forward, willing to throw hits on the fore check, get involved in battles along the boards, and go to the front of the net. Strong and powerful, Allison uses his well developed frame to dominate against his peers. He will need a little more muscle to do the same at the next level, but is well ahead of most prospects his age. He has a strong and powerful wrist shot which he gets off with a quick release. He also finds openings to set himself up for a powerful one-timer. Allison scores goals in close to the net with quick hands and the ability to bury rebounds and get tip ins. Alison’s assists come from digging pucks out of the corners and getting them to teammates. He could stand to work on his stick handling. He protects the puck with his size in the cycle game, but does not have the type of slick skills to beat defenders one-on-one. Allison is more likely to go through a defender, than try to go around him.
Allison’s skating is a bit of a work in progress. He needs to work on his speed and acceleration, as well as his first step. His agility and edgework is also a bit of a weakness right now. With quicker footwork he could be a better offensive player, getting around defenders; and a better defender, keeping opponents in front of him. Allison is strong on the puck though, and has good power and balance. He has the ability to fight through checks and get to the net.
Wade Allison’s defensive game is also a bit of a work in progress. He works hard and is willing to battle in all three zones. Allison needs work on his positioning though, and can be beat one-on-one due to his lack of footspeed. There are some things that can be helped with good coaching though. Allison is likely to be a better winger than a centre at the next level as he will have less responsibility in his own end, and less of requirement to come back as deep to support the defense.
There are some deficiencies in Allison’s game, but teams will be intrigued by the fact he has the ability to score goals and to play a gritty, grind it out style of game. He must improve his skating and his defense to have an impact at the next level though. Allison’s game is reminiscent of Dustin Brown, but this is a stylistic comparison and not one based on talent.
The following is a compilation of Wade Allison highlights, assembled from youtube.
Check back tomorrow for the #69 prospect on our NHL Draft Board.
Main Photo via Twitter.
