Just when things were finally moving in the right direction for Philadelphia Flyers forward Wade Allison, another major setback stopped his progress in its tracks. He initially sustained a high ankle sprain in the Flyers’ Rookie Game that kept him out the first 25 games of the season. Following the news of the ankle injury, Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere praised Allison for his gritty talent and hard work on and off the ice.
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“I’m sure he’s going to take it hard. No matter what, if it’s a week or two weeks or a month or two months, you put all that work in in the summer, he came in, he looked great all week, he looked great [Saturday],” Laperriere said following the Flyers’ Rookie Game in September. “He played the way he should be playing in a rookie game. He only knows one way to play. I really feel bad for him. Unfortunately, it’s part of the game, injuries are part of the game, especially when you play that style of hockey. I don’t know what the injury is and hopefully, it’s going to be a quick one.”
Unfortunately, all of the progress that was made over the last couple of months did not last long as he sustained another injury that will keep him out for a significant period of time. After returning from the ankle injury, he was sent to the American Hockey League (AHL) to get his feet back under him with the Phantoms. In three games played with the team, he put a strong showing on the ice by providing a positive spark that the lineup was missing. He recorded one assist in those three games, but was more impactful than the stat sheets showed.
What Went Wrong?
His character on and off the ice is something that the organization has not seen in a very long time. He radiates energy that impacts everyone around him and it was clear in the past three games with the Phantoms. In the final game of the three-game stand, he awkwardly collided with a Hartford Wolf Pack player along the team’s bench and grabbed his elbow immediately. He left the ice surface shortly after and did not return to the game.
While the extent of the injury is not known just yet, he is believed to miss a significant period of time yet again, which is very unfortunate for the young forward considering all the injury troubles the Flyers have faced this season. It was only going to be a matter of time before he made his way back into the NHL lineup. He is fully expected to be part of the future for the Flyers, whether that be this season or in the coming years.
“He’s being seen by a specialist here and we’ll have more news on him as it becomes available,” Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday.
Battling Back From Injury Again
This is now his third major injury in the last two years that has kept him out for a period of time. Fortunately, it was not another ankle injury, which he has already dealt with twice over the last couple of seasons. Each and every time, no matter the severity of the injury, he works as hard as possible to get back on the ice.
”To know all of his previous injuries and stuff, I know what he’s feeling, I know it sucks. Taking him off the ice, just trying to keep it positive, letting him know this isn’t the end obviously. He’s a great player, he’s going to come back from it, he always has. He’s a big-time guy and he’s positive about it, so it’s good to see,” said Tanner Laczynski, who was drafted alongside Allison in the 2016 NHL Draft.
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The support he has received from his teammates is what keeps him going and pushing forward to keep coming back. Hopefully, he is able to come back quicker than expected so that he is able to join the Flyers lineup. The team could use his grittiness and positive energy in the lineup, even if he is in the bottom-six forward group. The Flyers have utilized talent from the Phantoms for most of the season with all the injuries sustained.
While Allison recovers from yet another injury, the Flyers will look to continue finding replacements to fill spots in the lineup. Time in and time out, the Flyers have proved why having a strong farm system is vital to a team’s success.
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