Allard anxious to help Hounds

by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies

Somewhere along the line, Owen Allard’s hard work and best intentions ran smack into cold, hard reality.

The Soo Greyhounds centre, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder in early October, had hoped to be back by Feb. 1.

But on Tuesday, the 18-year-old (2004 birth year) offered a recalculation as to when he’ll be ready to return to OHL action.

“I’m hoping to be back by mid-February to early March. That’s what it looks like,” said Allard, who has yet to play this season.

The Hounds, who’ve lost five straight (0-3-2-0) will look to bounce back when they entertain Kitchener on Wednesday (7:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens.

Allard explained how he hasn’t suffered any setbacks in his recovery. In fact, the six-foot-two, 200-pounder spoke of how well his rehabilitation is progressing.

“I’m doing lots of physio, three times per week,” said Allard, who notched 14 goals and 10 assists in 66 games last season as an OHL rookie. “I’m back skating and stickhandling and I’ll be cleared to shoot soon.”

The Ottawa native, taken by the Soo in the seventh round (No. 124 overall) of the 2020 Priority Selections draft, displayed speed and an impressive work ethic in his first Major A go-around.

Not playing this season “is the toughest thing I’ve ever been through in hockey, for sure,” Allard added in a conversation with Independent Media.

The player’s problems began last summer, while skating in his first practice at the Ottawa Senators 2022 development camp.

An NHL free agent, Allard got tangled with an opponent while locked in a one-on-one battle. As he attempted to knock away that player’s stick, Allard was pushed over.

However, he wasn’t able to brace himself for the fall.

Allard landed on his left shoulder and the injury was diagnosed as a dislocation.

But that was prior to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which revealed a torn labrum, the thick piece of tissue attached to the rim of the shoulder socket. The labrum helps keep the ball of the joint in place.

The original plan was for Allard to rehab the injury and attempt to play through it.

However, while skating with a group of Hounds veterans, one day before training camp was to begin here in late August, the shoulder popped out again.

A couple of days after that, the decision was made for the player to undergo surgery, which was performed in early October.

“I’m really excited to get back. I can’t wait to play again,” said Allard, who follows the team closely by watching each game on chl.ca. “It’s hard to watch. I just want to be there with the boys and try to help them win.”

Asked what he hopes to provide to the Greyhounds when he does return, Allard talked about providing energy, strong two-way play and “lots of scoring. I think I was due to have a big year and score lots of goals.”

The Hounds, who lost 7-5 to Sudbury on Saturday, carry a 10-14-6-4 record into their match with the Rangers (15-14-2-0).

Head coach John Dean wants to see consistency in a number of areas, but there’s more.

“I think we need to look more connected as a group. We look unorganized,” said Dean. “We’re often on the wrong side of the puck offensively and it’s costing us. We don’t look like a connected five-man unit, with or without the puck, quite honestly.”

The Soo’s recent cold streak began on Dec. 16 with a humbling 9-0 loss in Kitchener.

A setback by that margin, Dean added, should serve as great motivation for his players.

“I think we were embarrassed in Kitchener and this is an opportunity for us to show ourselves and our fans what kind of team we want to be,” the Hounds coach said. “And what kind of character we want to show.”

Asked about the status of defenceman Connor Toms, who was injured on Dec. 28 in Flint and saw a doctor upon returning home, Dean spoke of how the Sault native will miss at least 3-4 weeks with a lower-body injury.

As for Charlie Schenkel, who suffered an upper-body injury on Nov. 27 in Hamilton, the coach expects his netminder to miss at least two more weeks.

Following Wednesday’s clash, the Soo is slated to visit Flint (7 p.m.) on Friday, before returning home to face London on Sunday (2:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens.