The Vancouver Sun
February 26, 2001
By Elliott Pap

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Bryan Allen wasn't certain why the coaches wanted to talk to him Saturday night. The Kansas City Blades had just lost another IHL game, 3-0 to the Manitoba Moose, and Allen figured he was going to hear about something, perhaps be shown some video, maybe receive a pointer or two.

But to his utter surprise, Allen heard the four most beautiful words in the history of minor-league hockey: "Kid, you're going up.''

Twelve hours later, the towering 230-pound defenceman was practising with the Vancouver Canucks in St. Paul and tonight he will make his NHL regular-season debut against the Minnesota Wild.

"It was definitely a surprise,'' Allen said following Sunday's workout. "It was nothing I really thought of. I mean, we had just lost a game. So, it's pretty exciting. All year, you've been watching guys getting called up and you hope you'll get your chance. It's been a long journey, for sure. There have been a lot of ups and downs.''

Allen is in today because Jason Strudwick is out. The latter sprained his left knee in Saturday's 3-0 loss to Ottawa and is expected to miss at least two weeks. Allen will likely be paired with Mattias Ohlund, as he was in practice Sunday, but likely won't play many minutes unless the game is a blowout either way.

Strudwick is usually the lowest minute-man on the Canuck defence and Allen will be plugged into his spot. As well, Allen won't have to worry about journeyman Bryan Helmer taking the sixth hole as Helmer was sent down Sunday, accompanied by winger Jarkko Ruutu.

"Bryan has played very well this year and this is an opportunity for him to get in the lineup,'' said Canuck head coach Marc Crawford. "Long range, we know he's going to be a big part of the Vancouver Canucks. We've had nothing but good reports about him and, from watching him in practice, I see that he has made a step. Whether that's enough to keep him here on a continuous basis is of no consequence right now.

"Right now, Bryan is going to be a guy who is going to come in and play and be spotted, get a few shifts here and there and hopefully he'll help us out with some enthusiasm and some real solid play.''

Allen, 20, was the Canucks' first pick in the 1998 entry draft (fourth over-all) and the first pick made by Brian Burke's new regime. Billed as a rugged stay-at-home defenceman, he has been just that - a player who stayed at home because of numerous injuries.

He suffered both knee and shoulder problems in 1998-99 and when both situations flared up again last season, the surgeons were called in. They operated on both joints, rebuilding him like the conditioning stint in the minors, a re-assignment to the Oshawa juniors and pretty much a washout season.

This year, Allen's first as a full-time professional, he has made it through 58 games without major mishap. He has five goals and 15 assists for Stan Smyl's Blades.

"It's been weird,'' Allen said. "It's been a long time since I've played every game and I've been able to get the confidence back that I had. This is the most confident I've felt probably since my draft year.''

Strudwick, meanwhile, remained with the team and will be re-evaluated back in Vancouver. He was injured on his second shift of the second period in Ottawa.

"It feels a lot better than I though it would feel,'' Strudwick said Sunday after being treated. "There's not a lot of swelling, so that's a good sign, and I'm not really in pain but the knee is loose. It's a bit disappointing not knowing exactly what it is.

"On the play, I was behind our net with the puck and one of their guys was coming at me. I tried to jump out of the way and he just caught me. Something like that happens 10 times in a game.''



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