Jason Allison is Attending Leafs’ Camp

Jeff Gesner is the owner/operator of a small sports apparel/memorabilia business
called “The Stadium”. He spent some time in the scriptwriting business for film. The transition has been satisfying for Jeff being a sports fanatic.

Does anyone remember Jason Allison? He was last seen wearing blue and white with a maple leaf in the center of his chest, well apparently he’d like to don the maple leaf again. Allison will be at the Leafs’ training camp this month; he hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2005-06 season where he participated in 66 games, scoring 17 goals, 43 assists.

“I’m physically and mentally as healthy as I’ve been in five years,” Allison said. “I’m excited and ready to go.”

Jason Allison was vilified for his poor skating ability, even though he was pretty near a point per game player during his career, 552 games played, and 485 points. He was a huge star with the London Knights before being drafted 17th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

Allison was part of the Toronto Maple Leaf experiment that included Jeff O’Neill and Eric Lindros. The three stars were all signed prior to the 2005-06 season following the 04-05 NHL lockout. It proved to be a failed experiment, as Eric Lindros played a mere 33 games, Allison suffered a hand injury and was forced to have surgery, and O’ Neill posted only 38 points. Lindros signed with the Dallas Stars after the disappointing campaign in Toronto, he played another 49 games, scoring only 5 goals with the club, he then retired after his second straight unproductive season. Allison hasn’t played another NHL game since; O’Neill was able to hold his job for one more season with the Leafs putting up similar numbers as the year prior with 20 goals, 42 points. Ironically, O’Neill tried out for a roster spot with the Carolina Hurricanes last year after being absent during the 2007-08 season, but did not make the final squad and was released.

All three of these players were forced out of the game under the age of 35. Did playing in Toronto suck everything out of them?

It seems a lot of players disappear in the world of sports, Allison was only 31 years old when he was left astray, other players such as Jeff Friesen and Anson Carter have been lost in the shuffle as well. The NHL is getting more competitive each year; the players are younger, faster, and simply just more talented than years ago.

Apparently Claude Lemieux started a trend with former NHL players wanting one more shot to play the game, Theo Fleury recently stated that he wanted another opportunity, now Allison wants back in the game too. Who’s going to be next in line? I’m sure Allison won’t be the last name we hear about this season in hopes of lacing up the skates one more time.

I don’t think even Jason Allison himself would argue that his skating ability isn’t atrocious, but his skills were never an issue demonstrated by the consistent numbers he put up throughout his career, and he appears determined to make this comeback a success, so maybe we’ll see him on the ice again this year.

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