NHL Prospect Profile: Frederic Allard

 

Get to Know Frederic Allard

Date of Birth: December 12, 1997 (18)
Place of Birth: Québec, QC, CAN
Ht: 6’1” Wt: 180 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Defense
Team: Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Future Considerations
Allard is that mobile, puck-moving, smooth-skating defender that all NHL teams covet. His tool box consists of great vision, solid poise with the puck, smooth mobility and excellent tape-to-tape passes. In fact, his passes are already NHL caliber, with the combination of power, strength and precision. He doesn’t need much time to spot his options and make the right play. Defensively, he is pretty consistent, but he can get lost in his positioning that leads to disorganisation between himself and his teammates, destabilizing their entire defensive system. However, Allard quickly recognizes this and communicates well to return defensive order. He displays adaptability to changes and a low panic point. He is a defenseman who plays the game in all facets, distributing a lot of body contact even though he is not the biggest player on the ice. He played in all roles this season for Chicoutimi, including puck distributor on the power play and shutdown guy on the penalty kill. Allard is willing to drop into lanes to block shots, use his smarts to read the attack and step up to close off lanes. He plays with an edge and ease that is uncommon for an 18-year-old, showing solid maturity and ability to manage and control the game from the back end. He is, in our opinion, a defenseman with a very complete game, which makes him a low-risk pick for any NHL team.

Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects
A tenacious two-way defenceman that has a distinct willingness to do whatever it takes to keep his team up. Battles hard for puck possession and has a very good active stick. Not consistent enough to be relied upon in all situations, especially under high pressure, but is definitely getting there and his game is rounding out well at an accelerated pace. Possesses a hard, accurate shot and is creative with his passes. As such, his primary function as an offensive defenceman is to be played on the forecheck and in situations where pressure is sustained. All-in-all, a hard-nosed two-way defenceman that has the raw tools and the upward-trending tendencies that point to a positive development path.

Scott Wheeler, McKeen’s Hockey
Allard, a small but offensively gifted defensemen, is another late 1997 birth date, and has an extra season in the QMJHL under his belt as a result, breaking 30 points last season. He will be counted on as the team’s top defender this season and is capable of putting up 40+ points from the backend. Allard doesn’t have a heavy shot, or shoot often, but he handles the puck extremely intelligently and is a talented cross-ice passer at even strength and on the powerplay.

What BSN Avalanche sees

Frederic Allard is an intelligent offensive defenseman who plays with a bit of an edge. It’s not that he’s overtly aggressive. Instead, he’s simply willing to outwork his opponents. While not the heaviest of players, he has the height at 6’1” and is strong on his skates. His biggest asset is his poise on the play. His extra year in the Q has given him maturity beyond most draftees. He has solid puck handling skills and is a fluid skater. He is somewhat inconsistent and can get lost in the play at times, but these are things that development time can smooth out. While no draftee is a sure thing, Allard is about as close as you can get for a second-round selection.

Highlights

NHL Potential

Expect Allard to find a solid career as a third-pairing defenseman at the very least. However, his ceiling looks to be on the second pairing on a good NHL team, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him spend a good long career there. He’s an efficient, intelligent player with a ton of versatility, qualities that will take him far in professional hockey.

Expected Draft Position

Opinions on Allard as varied as can be with Central Scouting putting him way up at 32nd and Craig Button sliding him in way down at 75th. In short, the defenseman is a bit of a wild card, but he will most likely be picked up sometime in the second round.

How Frederic Allard Fits in Avalanche Organization

Allard is an interesting possibility. While he doesn’t have the size the Avs covet, he has the character. The team needs to restock the cupboard on defenseman, and they could do worse than Allard. There might be better players available in the second round, but if he drops to the third, he’s a no brainer.