The Province
March 5, 2001
By Terry Bell

Mattias Ohlund is impressed.

So are Jack McIlhargey, Marc Crawford and, no doubt, a number of players on the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues.

Heading into Sunday night's re-match with the Wild, Vancouver Canucks rookie defenceman Bryan Allen had played three NHL games.

And though it's unfair to form any lasting opinion on such limited evidence, it would seem the kid is headed for a bright future.

"He's doing really well,'' says Ohlund, who has been Allen's blueline partner though most of the early going.

He has poise and that's a key to playing well. He knows when he has a play and when to just get the puck out of our end. He's not looking just to run guys and he reads the ice so well.''

Allen made his debut -- 11:11 of ice time, two hits -- last Monday in a 5-2 win at Minnesota.

He made his GM Place debut (10:26, three hits, a blocked shot) in a 5-4 win over Dallas Wednesday and then had the best night of his brief NHL career in Friday's 3-2 win over St. Louis.

In that one he played 11:51 of ice time, managing a shot on goal, a hit and three blocks.

Against the Blues he broke up a 3-on-2 after Ohlund had got himself trapped up ice, tied up Pierre Turgeon on a 1-on-1 and looked extremely solid in his own end. Through three games he hasn't made any egregious errors -- no costly turnovers, no dumb penalties, no untimely rushes that produced uneven rushes the other way.

"The first few have been pretty good,'' says Allen. "Mattias is a good guy to be playing with. I'm just trying to play a simple game and make sure we don't allow any (scoring) opportunities.

"There are always times in games where there's a bit of panic but you have to regroup and settle down.''

Allen, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound presence, does seem poised beyond his years.

"I'm not saying it's a surprise,'' continued Ohlund, who has seen Allen at training camp in 1998, '99 and 2000. "A couple of years ago I saw how good he could be but he hasn't had a chance to play that much.''

Ohlund, of course, was referring to the litany of injuries the 21-year-old 1998 first round (fourth overall) draft pick has suffered. Two knee operations, shoulder surgery and a broken foot have all conspired to delay Allen's development. He played just 12 games last season and only 37 in 1998-99.

"It has been a long haul,'' says Allen. "But it has made me learn a lot early on. Having to deal with all the injuries has taught me to deal with adversity.''

This year, his first complete season in three years, Allen has really opened some eyes.

The reports from Kansas City had been good. He was logging 20-22 minutes a game, handing out big hits, and controlling the defensive zone for head coach Stan Smyl's IHL Blades. But there were questions about his skating, particularly his lateral movement.

No NHL forward has piloned him yet and he seems able to use his size and reach to his advantage.

"He's a big kid who's still growing into his body,'' says Canucks assistant coach and ex-NHL defencman McIlhargey. "He's been hampered by the injuries.

"But Stan has done a great job with him. He has to get his feet moving a bit quicker when he gets the puck but that's the way it is with a lot of young guys. He makes the good first pass and he's a great open ice hitter. We haven't seen him do that yet.''

Crawford says Allen will remain here as long as he's needed. Then he'll go back to KC where he can play more minutes.

"We'll keep him here for a while, as long as we need him,'' said Crawford. "I think he'll benefit more at this time by playing more. We've told him to play here and enjoy the opportunity. Down the road he'll be a key guy for us and now he can see how Mattias, and Ed Jovanovski and Murray Baron and Scott Lachance handle the minutes.

"I like his poise and his ability to make that first pass. Again, it shows the value of development. It's a credit to Stan but we've been saying that all year about the players we call up.''

Heading into play Sunday night, the Canucks were 3-0 with Allen in the lineup.

Asked in jest after the Dallas game if he felt he was making it tough for the Canucks to send him down, Allen, tongue planted firmly in cheek said: "Yeah, they can't kick me out now, eh?''

He was kidding. You just wouldn't know it by his play.



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