Cameron Allen

August 2023 – Allen will undergo shoulder surgery at the end of August and will miss most, if not all, of the 2023-24 season. Allen was looking to bounce back in a big way and prove all those that let him slide on draft day wrong, but now it will take a bit for him to return to the ice. This is a big blow for his development and hopefully he can bounce back down the line. Pat Quinn

June 2023 – Allen was selected 136th overall by the Capitals. Pat Quinn

September 2022 – Cameron Allen is one of the top defensemen in the 2023 class due to his deceptive ability, planning, and well-rounded game. He plays with tremendous composure and is calculated with each play, rarely recklessly aggressive or naively passive. He may not be the quickest of defensemen, especially when coming out of a pivot, but he is very agile and has excellent edgework that allows him to control his movements very well and close gaps very effectively. His spatial awareness is one of his greatest assets, and his quick reflexes allow him to weaponize this ability in the defensive zone, regularly intercepting the passes intended to get through his coverage. Allen has a very active stick, which he regularly uses to break up plays and to push play to the periphery, consistently defending the slot. He may lack some strength, but he has demonstrated a willingness to get physically engaged, especially behind his net (he still needs to work on his physicality in defending the rush), flashing a real mean streak at times.

Allen is a creative problem solver who excels at using bank passes to solve more complex problems. In transition, he is a capable carrier but typically prefers to pass the puck up ice. In these situations, he regularly spots his best passing option, but the long-range passing accuracy needs some work as he can miss those passes more often than one would like from a high-end defensive prospect. Offensively, he adores shooting the puck and his shot is a real threat at medium range, but he uses it far too often while hugging the offensive blueline, which more often than not results in a turnover. This trigger-happy tendency needs some refinement. While his handling skill and manipulative ability are high-end, there remain some doubts in our minds whether Allen’s skill projects as elite, which could cap him as a second-pairing guy at the NHL level. However, his tools are excellent, many of his habits are already pro-ready, and once he fills out his frame, he could be an extremely well-rounded defender who does it all: defend, hit, launch the breakout, activate offensively, and score. Sebastian High