Nolan Allan – 2021 NHL Entry Draft Prospect Profile

by

Nolan Allan

2020-21 Team: Prince Albert Raiders
Date of Birth: April 28, 2003
Place of Birth: Davidson, SK, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-2, Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: Defence
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

Nolan Allan has flown under the radar for most of this season. His quickness, physicality, and defensive instincts make him an outstanding two-way defenseman. After a delay in the WHL’s 2020-21 season was announced (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Allan found himself on the La Ronge Ice Wolves of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), where he scored five points in five games before returning to the Prince Albert Raiders in March.

Related: THW Draft Guide

Allan was coming off a moderate rookie season when he put up eight points in 58 games and was a plus-16. He made an impact as a rookie on the Raiders and found himself on the International stage playing for Team Canada Red at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

The Raiders started their season in March for a short but sweet 25-game schedule. Allan played 16 games and recorded two points; his offensive abilities are mildly raw, which is why his point totals aren’t high. Instead, he is exceptionally reliable in his own end, often making big hits and choking out plays. All in all, his consistent game earned him a roster spot on Team Canada for the Under-18 World Hockey Championships in Frisco and Plano, Texas, this season.

Throughout the tournament, Allan delivered bone-crushing hits and made solid defensive plays to shut down the opposition. During the gold medal game against Russia, Allan made the hit of the year when he ran over Russia’s captain, Nikita Chibrikov, sending him flying into the Canadian bench. Hits like that are momentum changers and Canada answered. He helped Canada defeat Russia 5-3 to capture the Gold for the first time since 2013, and his stock skyrocketed after that.

Allan’s development has been steady; he has all the right tools to become a top-4 defenseman at the NHL level. He will return to the Prince Albert Raiders, where he will take on more responsibilities to help his development.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Nolan Allan – NHL Draft Projection

While Allan is a B-ranked prospect, he will be selected in the early third-round. After his recent performance at the U-18’s, don’t be surprised to see him taken a bit higher than projected.

Quotables

“A sturdy defender who excels in his own end. He brings some solid mobility and can move the puck up ice to his teammates but he is still quite raw in the offensive zone. He can ‘pop’ at times but it’s infrequent at this stage of his development.” – Tony Ferrari, Dobber Prospects

“With a lot of highly skilled defenders on this Canada team, Allan’s assignment hasn’t changed from what his game normally entails. He is a safety valve player who tailors his game to provide a mobile and physical presence in the neutral zone and as the last man back.” – Justin Froese, FCHockey

“Ignore the meagre counting stats; Allan’s an effective player. An efficient defender, he chokes out plays and gets them moving back up the ice. He’s selective in transition, opting for the safe play too much, but showing the ability to beat forecheckers when he senses an opportunity. There’s more skill than he’s shown so far, too. Perhaps the U18s are when that skill starts to shine.” – Mitch Brown, EP Rinkside

Strengths

  • Physicality
  • Passing
  • Mobility
  • Defensive awareness
  • Skating

Under Construction – (Improvements to Make)

  • Shoot more frequently
  • Offensive awareness

NHL Potential

Make no mistake, Allan is a future NHLer, and given his development, could arguably become one of the better defensemen of his draft class. There’s work to be done and improvements to make, but he has a lot of untapped potential.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 3/5, Reward 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 4/10, Defense 7/10

Awards/ Achievements

  • 2018-19 SMAAAHL First Team All-Star
  • 2018-19 SMAAHL Top Defenseman
  • 2020-21 IIHF U18 WJC Gold Medal

Prince Albert Raiders: Meet The Future

Elite Prospects

Nolan Allan Statistics

Videos