Jason Allison

Jason Allison
Born	(1975-05-29) May 29, 1975 Toronto, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Washington Capitals Boston Bruins Los Angeles Kings Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL draft	17th overall, 1993 Washington Capitals
Playing career	1993–Present

Jason Paul Allison (born May 29, 1975) is a professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Allison is most notably known for his former role with the Boston Bruins of the NHL, for which he briefly served as team captain.

Playing career

Allison attended Humber Summit Middle School and Emery Collegiate Institute in North York, Ontario. His brother Todd also attended the same school. He played AAA Hockey with the Toronto Red Wings Hockey Club.

Allison was drafted 17th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, after a stellar junior career for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Allison played parts of two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings where, for a brief time, he teamed with former stars Žigmund Pálffy and Adam Deadmarsh. He has also played for the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals. His best season was 2000–01 when he had 95 points. Allison has played 552 games in his career, racking up 154 goals and 331 assists for 485 points. He also has 25 points in 25 career playoff games. Allison missed most of the 2002–03 season and all of the following season because of a neck injury and concussion.

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. 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. After the 2005–06 season, Allison became an unrestricted free agent. Toronto chose not to re-sign Allison because new head coach Paul Maurice and GM John Ferguson, Jr. did not feel Allison's poor skating abilities and age would be a proper fit for their new, young, fast-paced team.

Allison did not sign with a team for the 2006–07 NHL season or subsequently, despite rumours of multiple contract offers. He is now operating a horse farm north of Toronto.

On August 28, 2009, Allison signed a try out contract with the Maple Leafs.

Attempted comeback

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, when he scored 17 goals and had 60 points for the Maple Leafs.

"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," says Brian Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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."

Jason Allison's bid to make the team on a tryout ended up falling short. The training 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. It was not enough, however, and by September 28, Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson confessed that Allison was "out of the plans."

Awards

• 1994 – OHL First All-Star Team
• 1994 – OHL MVP
• 1994 – Canadian Major Junior First All-Star Team
• 1994 – CHL Player of the Year
• 2001 – Played in NHL All-Star Game

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991–92	London Knights	OHL		65	11	19	30	15		7	0	0	0	0
1992–93	London Knights	OHL		66	42	76	118	50		12	7	13	20	8
1993–94	London Knights	OHL		56	55	87	142	68		5	2	13	15	13
1993–94	Washington Capitals	NHL		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	London Knights	OHL		15	15	21	36	43		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Portland Pirates	AHL		8	5	4	9	2		7	3	8	11	2
1994–95	Washington Capitals	NHL		12	2	1	3	6		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Portland Pirates	AHL		57	28	41	69	42		6	1	6	7	9
1995–96	Washington Capitals	NHL		19	0	3	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Washington Capitals	NHL		53	5	17	22	25		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Boston Bruins	NHL		19	3	9	12	9		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Boston Bruins	NHL		81	33	50	83	60		6	2	6	8	4
1998–99	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	23	53	76	68		12	2	9	11	6
1999–00	Boston Bruins	NHL		37	10	18	28	20		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	36	59	95	85		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		73	19	55	74	68		7	3	3	6	4
2002–03	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		26	6	22	28	20		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	DNP — Injured	—		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	DNP — Lockout	—		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		66	17	43	60	76		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				552	154	331	485	441		25	7	18	25	56
OHL totals				202	123	203	326	167		24	9	26	35	21

External links

• Jason Allison career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database