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Jason Allison

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1975)}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| position = Centre

| shoots = Right

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 215

| played_for = Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins
Los Angeles Kings
Toronto Maple Leafs

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|5|29|mf=y}}

| birth_place = North York, Ontario, Canada

| career_start = 1993

| career_end = 2006

| draft = 17th overall

| draft_year = 1993

| draft_team = Washington Capitals

| image =

| image_size = 230px

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{ih|CAN}} }}

{{MedalSport | Ice hockey}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Junior Championships}}

{{MedalGold|1994 Ostrava|}}

{{MedalGold|1995 Alberta|}}

}}

Jason Paul Allison (born May 29, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 552 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Allison was born in North York, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario. His most productive seasons were with the Boston Bruins, where he briefly served as team captain. He also played for the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs. A very successful junior hockey player with the London Knights, he won two gold medals as part of the men's junior national team in 1994 and 1995 and was the Ontario Hockey League's 1994 winner of the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's most outstanding player. In the NHL, he was top ten in points twice and played in the All-Star Game once. His career was derailed by injuries and a labour dispute. Allison's final game was played against the Montreal Canadiens in March 2006 which he was injured. He attempted a comeback in 2009, but ultimately failed.

Junior hockey

Allison attended Daystrom Elementary Public School, Humber Summit Middle School and Emery Collegiate Secondary School in the Weston Road and Finch Avenue area of Toronto and Westview Centennial Secondary School in Toronto, Ontario.{{cite web |url=http://www.emeryvillagevoice.ca/An-Emery-street-for-a-great-NHLer |title=An Emery street for a great NHLer |work=Emery Village Voice |last=Lambrinos |first=Tim |date=February 2018 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} As a youth, he played in the 1989 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Red Wings minor ice hockey team.{{cite web |url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf |title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA |year=2018 |website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament |access-date=January 29, 2019 |archive-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf |url-status=dead }}

From 1991 to 1994, Allison played with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), with his best year coming in 1993–94 when he scored 142 points in 56 games and won the Eddie Power Trophy as the league's leading scorer, the OHL's Most Gentlemanly Player and the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's most outstanding player.{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-04-05-1994095126-story.html |title=Capitals sign Allison, their top pick in 1993 |last=McKee |first=Sandra |date=April 5, 1994 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} Allison was drafted 17th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals as a result. He played for the men's junior national team in both the 1994 and 1995 championships winning gold medals both times.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2126228 |title=Allison signs one-year deal |work=ESPN |date=August 5, 2005 |access-date=November 8, 2022}}

NHL career

In 1994, Allison signed a four-year entry-level contract with the Capitals with an additional option year. He struggled to break into the Capitals lineup and was demoted to team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates. In 1996, the Capitals sent him on a course to improve his skating.{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1998/05/04/inside-the-nhl |title=Inside the NHL |last=Kennedy |first=Kostya |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=May 4, 1998 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} He never met the Capitals' expectations{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1996/10/31/bad-for-allison-is-good-enough-for-capitals/febed412-b690-47d5-92b4-f328d438849a/ |title='Bad' For Allison is Good Enough for Capitals |last=Alex |first=Racheal |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 31, 1996 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} and on March 1, 1997, was part of a major trade with the Boston Bruins. Allison, Anson Carter, Jim Carey, a 1997 third-round draft choice and a conditional 1998 second-round draft choice were traded to the Bruins for Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford. Oates, one of the NHL's superstars, had requested a trade if the Bruins did not commit to getting more talent.{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/2d0221218ab42103ccd8640c4691ca36 |title=Bruins deal disgrunted Oates and two others in blockbuster deal |work=Associated Press |date=March 1, 1997 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} Allison saw a resurgence with the Bruins, putting up a then career-high 83 points in the 1997–98 season, the ninth highest total in the league. Allison led the Bruins in points three times (1997–98, 1998–99 and 2000–01). In the 2000–01 season, Allison was named captain of the team, the first since the departure of Ray Bourque.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/bruins-name-allison-captain-1.230995 |title=Bruins name Allison captain |work=CBC Sports |date=November 8, 2000 |access-date=November 13, 2022}} His 2000–01 season was his best when he had a career-high 95 points, good for fifth in the league. He also played in the 2001 All-Star Game. However, Allison's time with the Bruins came to an abrupt end when contract negotiations following the 2001 year reached an impasse. The Bruins traded Allison, now a fan favourite in Boston, to the Los Angeles Kings with Mikko Eloranta for Jozef Stumpel and Glen Murray on October 25, 2001. Upon his arrival in Los Angeles, Allison signed a three-year $20-million contract.{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/fans-angry-as-bruins-deal-allison/article763889/ |title=Fans angry as Bruins deal Allison |work=The Globe and Mail |date=October 25, 2001 |access-date=November 8, 2022}}

Allison joined the Kings, filling the need for a number one center who could play with Žigmund Pálffy.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-oct-25-sp-61433-story.html |title=Allison a King Centerpiece |last=Crowne |first=Jerry |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 25, 2001 |access-date=November 8, 2022 |url-access=subscription}} However, Allison suffered a stream of injuries, including major ones to the knee{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/jason-allison-sidelined-2-3-months-1.355281 |title=Jason Allison sidelined 2-3 months |work=CBC Sports |date=October 31, 2002 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} and neck{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-14-sp-kingrep14-story.html |title=Bad Neck Keeps Allison Sidelined |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Crowne |first=Jerry |date=February 14, 2003 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} and one of many Kings players that suffered a concussion.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-05-sp-duxkingrep5-story.html |title=Allison Not Sure When He Can Play |work=Los Angeles Times |last1=Crowne |first1=Jerry |last2=White |first2=Lonnie |date=March 5, 2003 |access-date=November 8, 2022 |url-access=subscription}} He missed most of the 2002–03 season and all of the following season.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/jason-allison-joins-leafs-1.545055 |title=Jason Allison joins Leafs |work=CBC Sports |date=August 5, 2005 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} The 2004–05 season was cancelled by a labour dispute{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/nhl/2014/09/15/2004-nhl-lockout-look-back-at-dark-day |title=The 2004 NHL lockout: A light look back at a dark day (9/16/04) |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=September 15, 2014 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} and Allison did not receive a qualifying offer from the Kings in 2004 allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story?id=1832324&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22 |title=Kings cut ties with C Allison and RW Deadmarsh |work=ESPN |date=June 30, 2004 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} Prior to the 2005–06 season, Allison signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth $1.5 million, with bonus incentives for good performance.{{cite web | url = http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2005/10/17/1266166-sun.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120716111128/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2005/10/17/1266166-sun.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = July 16, 2012 | publisher = Canoe.ca | date = November 12, 2006 | access-date = January 2, 2010 | title = Allison emerging as a leader }} Allison suffered a hand injury in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, and had to have surgery on his hand, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. In the 66 games he played in before the injury, he scored 17 goals and had 60 points for the Maple Leafs.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2390131 |title=Leafs' Allison out for season after hand surgery |work=ESPN |date=March 30, 2006 |access-date=November 8, 2022}}

After the 2005–06 season, Allison became an unrestricted free agent. Toronto chose not to re-sign Allison because GM John Ferguson, Jr. did not feel his skating was good enough.{{cite web |url=https://www.cp24.com/mobile/jason-allison-begins-longshot-attempt-for-second-nhl-comeback-with-leafs-1.434306?cache=yesclipId10406200text/html;charset=utf-80404 |title=Jason Allison begins longshot attempt for second NHL comeback with Leafs |work=CP24 |agency=The Canadian Press |last=Stevens |first=Neil |date=September 14, 2009 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} Allison subsequently did not sign with a team for the 2006–07 NHL season, as he wanted to be near his family and no situation arose where he could.{{cite news |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/veteran-centre-jason-allison-ready-for-a-return-to-nhl-after-one-year-absence |title=Veteran Centre Jason Allison Ready for a Return to NHL After One-Year Absence |work=The Hockey News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=June 29, 2007 |access-date=November 8, 2022}}

=2009 attempted comeback=

On August 28, 2009, Allison received an invitation to the Toronto Maple Leafs' September 2009 training camp, and trained with them through the beginning of the preseason. Allison had not played professionally since 2005–06; in explaining the invitation, Brian Burke, the general manager of the Maple Leafs, said: "He had some personal issues and some major physical issues at that time. He has solved all of those. In my mind, he is a guy who might give us a lift and he deserves that opportunity."{{cite web|first = Mike |last=Ulmer | title = Ulmer Catches Up With Burke | website = National Hockey League | url = http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=490631 | date = September 1, 2009 | access-date = January 2, 2010}}

In an interview after his first exhibition game back, Allison was as confident as ever. "I didn't contribute much, but that's to be expected, I'm just shaking the cobwebs off. I fully anticipate regaining my previous form as a point-per-game player."

Allison's bid to make the team on a tryout ended up falling short. The training camp invite yielded a memorable moment, when Allison fought with the Philadelphia Flyers' Darroll Powe during an exhibition game and ripped his helmet in half with his bare hands.{{cite news | first = Greg | last = Wyshynski | title = For Next Trick, Jason Allison will rip phone book in half | work = Yahoo! Sports | date = September 20, 2009 | access-date = September 20, 2009 | url = https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-For-next-trick-Jason-Allison-will-rip-ph?urn=nhl,190676 | archive-date = September 25, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090925015830/http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-For-next-trick-Jason-Allison-will-rip-ph?urn=nhl,190676 | url-status = dead }} It was not enough, however, and by September 28, Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson confessed that Allison was "out of the plans."{{cite web | title = Leafs Lose Final Preseason Game | publisher = The Sports Network | date = September 28, 2009 | access-date = September 28, 2009 | url = http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=292925 | archive-date = October 1, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091001091505/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=292925 | url-status = dead }}

Personal life

In retirement Allison operated a horse farm north of Toronto.{{cite news| url = http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2008/09/06/cap_will_be_fit_for_kings/?page=4 | title = Cap will be fit for Kings | newspaper = Boston.com | date = September 6, 2008 | access-date = September 6, 2008| last1 = Dupont | first1 = Kevin Paul }} He bought Reef Island on Lake Joseph in Ontario in 2004.{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2004/05/17/its-all-mine-jason-allisons-summer-place-his-own-isle-in-ontario |title=It's All Mine Jason Allison's Summer Place: His Own Isle in Ontario |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Cannella |first=Stephen |date=May 17, 2004 |access-date=November 8, 2022}} Variety and Deadline in 2018 reported that Allison and his company Don Kee Productions were one of fourteen executive producers on the film Arkansas.{{cite web |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title=John Malkovich, Michael K. Williams, Vivica Fox Join 'Arkansas' |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/john-malkovich-michael-k-williams-vivica-fox-arkansas-1203017522/ |website=Variety |language=en |date=November 2, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=N'Duka |first1=Amanda |title=Vince Vaughn, Liam Hemsworth & Clark Duke To Star In 'Arkansas' |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/vince-vaughn-liam-hemsworth-clark-duke-arkansas-movie-1202485007/ |website=Deadline |language=en |date=October 18, 2018}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Regular season

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

1991–92

| London Knights

| OHL

| 65

11193015

| 7

0000
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1992–93

| London Knights

| OHL

| 66

427611850

| 12

713208
1993–94

| London Knights

| OHL

| 56

558714268

| 5

2131513
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1993–94

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 2

0110

| —

————
1994–95

| London Knights

| OHL

| 15

15213643

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1994–95

| Portland Pirates

| AHL

| 8

5492

| 7

38112
1994–95

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 12

2136

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1995–96

| Portland Pirates

| AHL

| 57

28416942

| 6

1679
1995–96

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 19

0332

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1996–97

| Washington Capitals

| NHL

| 53

5172225

| —

————
1996–97

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 19

39129

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997–98

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 81

33508360

| 6

2684
1998–99

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 82

23537668

| 12

29116
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999–00

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 37

10182820

| —

————
2000–01

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 82

36599585

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Los Angeles Kings

| NHL

| 73

19557468

| 7

3364
2002–03

| Los Angeles Kings

| NHL

| 26

6222820

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Toronto Maple Leafs

| NHL

| 66

17436076

| —

————
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 552 !! 154 !! 331 !! 485 !! 441

! 25 !! 7 !! 18 !! 25 !! 14

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

1994

| Canada

| WJC

| 7

3692
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1995

| Canada

| WJC

| 7

312156
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 14 !! 6 !! 18 !! 24 !! 8

Awards and honours

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="2" | OHL

CHL First All-Star Team

| 1994

CHL Player of the Year

| 1994

CHL Top Scorer Award

| 1994

OHL First All-Star Team

| 1994

Red Tilson Trophy

| 1994

Eddie Powers Trophy

| 1994

William Hanley Trophy

| 1994

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="2" | NHL

All-Star Game

| 2001

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Ice hockey stats}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box | before = Ray Bourque | title = Boston Bruins captain| years = 2000–01 | after = Joe Thornton}}

{{succession box | before = Pat Peake | title = CHL Player of the Year | years = 1994 | after = David Ling}}

{{succession box | before = Brendan Witt | title = Washington Capitals first round draft pick | years = 1993 | after = Nolan Baumgartner}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allison, Jason}}

Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:Boston Bruins captains

Category:Boston Bruins players

Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States

Category:Canadian ice hockey centres

Category:London Knights players

Category:Los Angeles Kings players

Category:National Hockey League All-Stars

Category:NHL first-round draft picks

Category:Portland Pirates players

Category:Ice hockey people from North York

Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players

Category:Washington Capitals draft picks

Category:Washington Capitals players