Storm’s Allen to miss first half of season

The Guelph Storm announced on Wednesday that 18-year-old defenceman Cam Allen will be out of action for the first half of the 2023-24 season as he undergoes shoulder surgery.

It’s a blow to Allen, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round of the NHL Draft this past summer, but also to the Storm, who were looking to the former third overall OHL Draft pick to play a big role in his third OHL season.

Allen claimed the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, putting up 37 points (13-24–37) in 65 games. He, along with the Storm as a whole, struggled to find consistency in the opening half of the 2022-23 season, but ended up finishing out the year on a better note as he collected 25 points (5-20–25) over 62 games. Allen was selected to compete in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game that took place in Langley, BC in January.

Perhaps the highlight of Allen’s 2022-23 season was captaining Canada’s Under-18 squad to a gold medal finish at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Alberta last summer before book-ending the campaign as captain once again, helping Canada earn bronze at the U18 Worlds in Switzerland in April.

Allen is expected to return to the Storm lineup in the new year.