The Kingston Whig-Standard
May 13, 1999
By Jim Morris

By signing first-round draft pick Bryan Allen of Glenburnie yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks got deeper at defence and gave general manager Brian Burke more trade flexibility.

Allen, 19, was Vancouver's first choice, fourth overall, in last year's NHL draft, but returned to Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League when he couldn't agree on a contract with the Canucks.

The six-foot-four, 210-pound defenceman played only 37 games last year due to injury, but collected seven goals, 15 assists and - what Burke likes best - 77 penalty minutes. He also had three points in seven games for Canada's silver medal-winning team at the world junior championship.

In 145 OHL games, Allen has 15 goals, 32 assists and 279 penalty minutes.

"We feel we have a player that has excellent size, puck movement skills and a mean streak,'' said Burke.

"He's a mean player in front of the net.''

Allen joins a young defence that already features Mattias Ohlund, 22; Ed Jovanovski, 22; Bryan McCabe, 23; Adrian Aucoin, 25; Jason Strudwick, 23, and Murray Baron, 31.

Burke, whose Canucks finished with a 23-47-12 record and out of the playoffs for the third consecutive season, said Allen's addition allows Vancouver to go shopping for a goal-scoring forward.

"We think Bryan will be on this team this year and it does give us some flexibility with regard to trades,'' he said.

"We need to upgrade our forwards. We have a lot of character up front and a good work ethic, but I don't think we have enough skill.''

Vancouver scored just 192 times last year, the first time in the franchise's 29-year history the team failed to score 200 or more goals.

Allen, who got in a fight during his lone exhibition game with Vancouver last year, said cracking the Canuck lineup won't be easy.

It's going to be hard summer. I'm going to have to work to earn my spot in training camp,'' he said.

"It's going to be a challenge. I don't think I'm going to be thinking when I come to training camp I have to make this team. I'm just going to play the best hockey I can.''

Neither Allen or Burke would reveal terms of the contract, outside of it being a three-year deal.

"Vancouver gave some significant changes in my contract to make me want to sign it now,'' Allen said.

"It's the right opportunity and the right contract for me to sign.''

"Canuck coach Marc Crawford said he likes Allen's smarts with the puck.

"When you play with intelligence and make good decisions, that really puts everybody in a good form,'' he said.



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