Greyhounds Allard ‘thrilled’ to be back
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
The talent train from Tucson, Az., to Sault Ste. Marie made its second stop on Monday night.
Hours after Swedish winger Noel Nordh arrived here, Ottawa native Owen Allard also flew into town, determined to make an impact during the 2024-2025 season.
“My main focus is on helping the Soo Greyhounds win and trying to be the best two-way centre in the league,” said Allard, a six-foot-two, 205-pound overage, about to begin his fourth season with the red and white. “I want to help the young guys out and, hopefully, I can lead by example with my work ethic.”
After skating for Team Canada at the most-recent World Junior Hockey Championship, the 20-year-old (2004 birth year) was selected by the Utah Hockey Club in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Shortly after landing in the Sault, Allard told Independent Media he’ll be signing an entry-level, NHL contract with Utah later this week.
That’s after attending Utah’s rookie and main training camps and playing in an NHL preseason game against the St. Louis Blues.
“I had a really good camp in Utah and they were impressed,” Allard said. “They gave me their thoughts on what I need to work on and I’m thrilled, obviously, to be here. I started in the Sault and I’m excited to be back.”
Bothered by a lower-back strain, Allard had remained in Tucson, home of the Roadrunners, Utah’s American Hockey League affiliate, waiting to see where he’d play this season.
He explained how Tucson had a lot of returning skaters and how he likely wouldn’t get as much opportunity as he’d like.
Asked about the possibility of playing in the ECHL, Allard said that was never discussed.
Asked if he ever requested the Hounds trade his OHL rights, Allard said no.
Playing for the Greyhounds is “the right path for me,” he continued, while pointing out how he lost the 2020-21 season due to the Covid pandemic and skated in only 14 games during the 22-23 campaign due to a shoulder injury. “I haven’t had the normal playing experience most other junior players do.”
A season ago, Allard notched 18 goals and 26 assists, along with a plus-minus of plus-18, in 55 regular season games. He had four goals, one assist and registered a minus-3 in 10 playoff tilts.
The scope of what Allard means to a team can best be found within the results of last season’s OHL Coaches Poll. Among those in the Western Conference, Allard was voted tops in the Most Improved Player and Hardest Worker categories. He finished No. 2 when it came to the conference’s Best Defensive Forward.
“He brings us enthusiasm, energy, experience and pace of play,” said Hounds head coach John Dean, happy to have Allard in the lineup for Wednesday’s 7:07 p.m. home start against Saginaw. “He plays a very, very competitive, fast-paced game. He’s going to help us out tremendously.”
Allard, who went through his first practice with the Greyhounds on Tuesday morning, spoke of how he expects to get a lot of opportunities with the club and how that excites him.
“I want to give this team a boost moving forward and I want to be a voice in the room, as well,” he said.
Nordh, a 19-year-old (2005 birth year) native of Soderhamn, Sweden, was the Greyhounds first-round selection (No. 44 overall) in the 2022 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
He was assigned to the Hounds by the Utah Hockey Club, after the Arizona Coyotes selected Nordh in the third round (72nd overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
This season, the six-foot-two, 200-pounder had appeared in two AHL games for the Roadrunners, after spending his developmental years with Brynas in Gavle, Sweden.
The Soo, winners of four of its last five, will carry a 5-5-0-0 record into the Saginaw contest. The Hounds are also slated to entertain Ottawa on Friday (7:07 p.m.).
