Capitals prospect Cam Allen taking the lead on young Storm blueline
Guelph Storm defenceman Cam Allen recently appeared on OHL After Hours (held every Friday following the night’s action on X Spaces), discussing his return to Guelph’s lineup as a 19-year-old this season.
As the Storm transition to a new season without veterans like Braeden Bowman, Allen addressed the adjustment to having a younger team and stepping into a leadership role. He’s the oldest member of a Storm blueline that features four 2007-born defenders.
“We have a pretty young crew but still have some amazing older leaders,” Allen said. “Our veteran presence is still strong, and we’ve got great new coaches leading the way. Despite losing some of our mature players, I think we’re still well-equipped.”
Speaking of veterans moving on, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko made his National Hockey League debut last Friday at 18-years-old. Allen praised his teammate saying, “It’s awesome to watch Jett live out his NHL dream. He’s earned every bit of it. I’m a proud teammate, and he deserves it.”
Allen also touched on the loss of another younger player in Matthew Poitras to the Boston Bruins last season, and the potential permanent departure of Luchanko. “I hope he can come back for our sake here in Guelph, but for his sake, I hope he gets to experience a full rookie season with the Flyers. I’m really happy for him.”
Reflecting on his own NHL aspirations, Allen, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, discussed his determination to continue developing after facing injury challenges.
“Spending time in Washington was awesome, and I had a good Development Camp. The past few years have been tough with injuries, but there’s still a lot of growing to do.”
The former 2022 OHL Rookie of the Year credited the Storm organization for helping him push through adversity.
“Guelph has a really good culture, and they helped me battle through tough times with those injuries. It’s easy to be around this team every day. Learning from our coaches and George Burnett has been so important. I love it here.”
Allen, who has six points (1-5–6) through six games so far this season, also spoke highly of new Head Coach Cory Stillman, who won OHL Rookie of the Year honors himself in 1991. He says Stillman brings a wealth of experience to the team. “Cory’s awesome. He preaches a hard game, has OHL Championship and NHL experience, and gives solid advice. He doesn’t beat around the bush, which is great for a younger group. He’s very hands-on, and it really helps.”
Allen and the Storm return to action tonight as they host the Windsor Spitfires at the Sleeman Centre, with puck drop set for 7:07 p.m.
ALLEN GOES END-TO-END! 🚂🚨
The @Storm_City defenceman takes it all the way down the ice and snipes it home to put Guelph up 2-0!#OHLOpeningWeek | @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/Fvw8gD2knr
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) September 27, 2024
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