CHAMPIONS SPEAK - 2020 Hall of Fame Inductee Allan York - Athlete
by Gregg Zilkie
Good evening,
I have the
privilege of introducing a young man that played his way up
through minor hockey, continued on through junior and
college level hockey and as a result of hardwork and
dedication to the game was drafted by the Columbus blue
Jackets. Tonight the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of
Fame is honored to recognize Allen York for his achievements
as a hockey goaltender.
Allen was born in Wetaskiwin and began his career as a
member of Wetaskiwin minor hockey where he found a passion
for the goaltender position and played through Wetaskiwin
minor hockey until he was 15. Through his development and
dedication Allen was selected to play for the Leduc AAA
Midget Oilkings at the Age of 16.
After a brief stint in Leduc Allen tired out for the Camrose
Kodiaks where he would spend the next two years playing and
winning consecutive Doyle cups which qualified the Kodiaks
for the 2007 and 2008 RBC Canadian Junior A Championships.
In his rookie Year Allen posted a .906 save percentage over
32 games and won the AJHL Top Team Goaltenders award.
Between his
two seasons with the Kodiaks Allen was drafted by the
Columbus Blue Jackets as the 158th Overall pick in the 2007
entry level Draft. Honerable mentions of that draft include
Patrick Kane selected first overall by the Chicago
Blackhawks and Sam Gagner selected by the Edmonton Oilers
In his second season with the Kodiaks Allen’s save
percentage increased to .910 and combining with his
goaltending tandem they both won the AJHL Top Team
Goaltenders Award giving Allen his second consecutive title
in the league. Over a two year span Allen’s record was an
astonishing 47-9 and 3. Although the Kodiaks did not win the
RBC Cup Allen’s play did not go unrecognized. Allen was
named “Best Goaltender in the Tournament” for both years.
Following Allen’s time with the Kodiaks, Allen attended the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Allen
played with the RPI Engineers who compete in the NCAA
Division 1 Eastern College Athletic Conference. Allen would
start as a rookie and only play 15 games but would go on to
be the starting goal tender for his final two seasons
increasing his save percentage from .901 as a rookie to .924
in his third year. Allen started 34 of 38 games for the
Engineers and would finish the season with an 18-10 and 3
record with two shutouts and 2.17 Goals against average
resulting in Allen being named to the All-ECAC Third Team.
Allen then spent the next 6 years playing professional
hockey at an elite level including 11 games with the
Columbus Blue Jackets where he would post a 2.30 goals
against average and a .919 save percentage. He spent the
rest of the season and the 2012-13 season playing for the
AHL Springfield Falcons, the ECHL Evansville Icemen and the
ECHL Chicago Express, all affiliates of the Blue Jackets.
One of the highlights of Allen’s hockey career was playing
for the 2013 Team Canada in the Spengler Cup, an annual
tournament held in December in Davos, Switzerland. Allen
played in three games and Team Canada lost in the
semi-finals to the eventual winners of the tournament.
Allen continued his professional career playing for various
AHL and ECHL teams such as the Syracuse Crunch, Florida
Everblades and Greenville Swamp Rabbits before ending his
professional career in March of 2016.
Post Allen’s
professional Career he continued to play the game he loves
and has played for teams such as the Daysland Northstars in
the North Central Hockey League, now known as the Camrose
Crush, and the Innisfail Eagles. Because of his knowledge
and experience Allen was hired to be the goaltending coach
of the Camrose Kodiaks for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
In the 2019-2020 season Allen continued to add more
coaching to his resume. He was the goalie coach for the
Northern Alberta Xtreme Hockey male and female teams that
play in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League. He also
was with Above the Crease – Alberta Hockey Goaltending, a
year round goalie training company where he was coaching
young aspiring goalies. Besides those three positions, Allen
was the goalie coach for the 2019 Canada West team that
competed in Dawson Creek in the World U-17 Junior A
Challenge tournament between Canada West, Canada East and
four international entries.
Being a
goaltender is no easy feat by any means, but Allen York has
had an exceptional hockey career. He excelled at the Junior
and College levels winning numerous championships and awards
We are pleased to induct Allen into the Wetaskiwin and
County Sports Hall of Fame and congratulate him on his
hockey achievements and career.
