Signing removes some stress for Allard

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This article was published 06/09/2024 (512 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While 16-year-old Cameron Allard is competing for a job with the Brandon Wheat Kings for the first time, he says his stress level has actually decreased from a year ago.

The Yorkton, Sask., defenceman, who turned 16 in January, was drafted by Brandon in the eighth round with the 160th overall pick in 2023. And despite not having the pedigree of being a top pick, the Western Hockey League club signed him to a scholarship and development agreement in April after he finished an outstanding season.

“I think it takes off a little bit of the pressure,” Allard said. “You know these guys want you since they’ve signed you now. As a 15-year-old coming in, it was a little bit scary seeing some of these big names like Nate Danielson and playing against him or making a pass to this guy. It’s a lot faster but I thought I handled it pretty well.

“Coming into my 16-year-old year, I’m competing for a spot.”

He was the sixth member of the 11-player draft class to sign, joining forwards Jaxon Jacobson and Isaac Davies, defencemen Giorgos Pantelas and Nigel Boehm, and goalie Dylan McFadyen.

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray isn’t above rooting for the underdog, and said Allard’s sudden ascension has been impressive.

“Cameron is a neat story,” Murray said. “We drafted him in the eighth round and all of a sudden he leads the Saskatchewan U18 league in scoring as an ‘08 defenceman. He’s poised with the puck and really, really good in breaking pucks out.”

Allard played his rookie season in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League with the Estevan Bears, where he led all 2008-born defencemen with 27 points on three goals and 24 assists in 44 games.

(Saskatchewan is open territory and a player can sign with any team in the league instead of being restricted to their regional club.)

“It was kind of nice,” Allard said. “I went down to Estevan and played all 44 games, which is always nice. I had lots of good guys down there to play with. My D-partner (Thomas Ries) was really friendly. He was a vet and he was good to play with. The coaching staff helped me put up the points and have the year I did.”

When Brandon drafted Allard in May 2023, he was six-foot-one and 150 pounds. Sixteen months later, he is a shade over six-foot-two and 190 pounds.

That’s not all that’s changed.

“When I was younger, I was more of a stay-at-home D-man,” Allard said. “Going into last year, I worked on my offensive game throughout the summer and it translated into the season.”

And despite his big frame, he said his skating has allowed it to happen.

“I feel like I’ve become a better skater over the past couple of years, and just being able to think the game faster every year as I go on,” Allard said. “With the higher the pace gets, it’s keeping up with it.”

That was a theme at camp this year, with the speed of play noticeably higher than just a few years ago.

Allard has now seen his 2008-born draft class in action with the 2009-born picks, and likes what the future holds.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Allard said. “We could be the core for these Memorial Cup runs they’re planning. I thought the ‘09 class was really good this year. I’ve got a couple of my Sasky buddies. I think it’s really exciting going forward.”

Allard is expected to see some pre-season action either tonight in Brandon against the visiting Saskatoon Blades or in the Bridge City on Sunday at 5 p.m. The team also faces the Regina Pats at home on Sept. 13 and on the road on Sept. 14 prior to opening the regular season on Sept. 20 against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors.

“It’s going to be stressful for sure but it’s going to be nice because we can battle harder and really give it to them,” Allard said of the pre-season. “This is a real game. I don’t want to say we’re trying to bash them through the boards but we’ll definitely give them a little more edge.”

Brandon still has 11 defencemen in camp, including five veterans from last year’s team and Slovakian import Adam Belusko, who arrived in Brandon Wednesday evening.

Still, he is in the running for one of what will likely be eight spots, and that’s all he can ask for.

“It’s really awesome,” Allard said. “That was my dream as a kid. I grew up all over but the first WHL game I watched was in Swift (Current) and going out there, you could see guys who were so close to the NHL. You work up to it until this age, and the biggest dream is just making it.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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