Sheffield Steelers: Scott Allen heading to Elite League to be 'difference-maker'

HEAD COACH Aaron Fox expects Scott Allen to be a ‘difference maker’ for Sheffield Steelers this season.
By Phil Harrison
Published 8th Jul 2022, 06:01 BST

The 32-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta, will hook up again with former team-mate Evan Mosey in South Yorkshire, the pair spending the 2020-21 alongside each other for Freiburg under GB head coach Pete Russell.Allen turned pro in 2015, spent a season and a bit in the AHL – first with Bakersfield Condors and then briefly with Liam Kirk’s current team Tucson Roadrunners – before moving to Europe in 2017.

His first port of call was with Eispiraten Crimmitschau in DEL 2, where he ended the campaign with 27 points – including 13 goals – from 35 games. A profitable season with Sparta Sarpsborg in Norway’s top tier followed, with Allen posting 44 points from 57 games across the team’s league and play-off campaign, 19 of those being goals.

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It was then that his path first crossed with Russell, both moving to EHC Freiburg in DEL 2 during the summer of 2019 – the GB coach leaving Glasgow Clan after just one season.

Scott Allen is heading to Sheffield intent on winning a championship with the Steelers. Picture submitted by Steelers Media.Scott Allen is heading to Sheffield intent on winning a championship with the Steelers. Picture submitted by Steelers Media.
Scott Allen is heading to Sheffield intent on winning a championship with the Steelers. Picture submitted by Steelers Media.

As with everywhere that season was brought to a premature end due to the pandemic but, across his three seasons under Russell, Allen recorded more than a point per game, scoring 70 goals and registering 81 assists for a 151-point haul from 146 appearances.

It was that kind of return – an no doubt a good word or two from one-season team-mate Mosey that has seen him picked up by Fox, who expects big things once he arrives in South Yorkshire next month.“Scott’s compete level and work rate is something you really notice when you dissect his game,” said Fox. “He never quits on plays and always battling for space and I believe he will come in and be a difference maker from day one.

"He is a big bodied power forward who skates extremely well for his size, he is outstanding as a net front guy on the PP and likes to get to the dirty areas.”

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Seven years in as a pro, Allen is not intending to hang up his skates anytime soon and heads to Sheffield looking to help the Steelers end what is now a six-year wait for the most prized possession of the regular season Elite League championship.

Scott Allen has spent the past three years in DEL 2 with EHC Freiburg - posting 151 points, including 70 goals, in 146 games.Scott Allen has spent the past three years in DEL 2 with EHC Freiburg - posting 151 points, including 70 goals, in 146 games.
Scott Allen has spent the past three years in DEL 2 with EHC Freiburg - posting 151 points, including 70 goals, in 146 games.

With several teams interested in him, being able to bend the ear of former colleague Mosey proved invaluable when it came to making the final decision to continue his career with a first move to the UK.

"I've just turned 32 and I have plenty of hockey in front of me,” said Allen. “But I want to win, I want to win a championship and so do the Steelers and after speaking with the coach I believe that the team being put together in Sheffield will be able to compete for that prize.

"I was lucky enough to have interest from a few teams, including some others in the UK. But when I spoke with Evan, it became apparent that Sheffield should be my next destination. It's good to be able to get a reference from a former team mate.”

Related topics:Sheffield SteelersAaron FoxSheffield