Practice Notebook: Allen Continues to Gain Experience

The American Hockey League defines a rookie player in its by-laws as a player who “must not have played in a total of twenty-five (25) or more AHL and/or NHL regular-season games in any preceding seasons, nor in six (6) or more AHL and/or NHL regular-season games in each of any two preceding seasons, nor in one hundred (100) regular-season games in any European Elite League.”

By that definition, Hershey Bears defenseman Cam Allen is still considered an AHL freshman. Just don’t tell him that.

“It’s weird to think about – I don’t feel like a rookie. I feel like I still have a full year under my belt, and I know it was 20-some-odd games and while I watched the rest of them, I was able to reflect on my game and learn a lot of things, looking from the outside-in kind of thing,” Allen said Friday following practice at GIANT Center. “So it does feel like I’ve played a full year. I don’t feel like a rookie, getting game after game, more experience, and building blocks, I guess that’ll help me, not be a rookie.”

The now 21-year-old defender saw his first professional season in 2025-26 limited to just 22 contests due to injuries before he was eventually shut down in late January for season-ending surgery to address a lingering upper-body injury. Allen remained with the team for his rehabilitation, and is eager to establish a strong foothold this season with the Bears as he continues on the development track established when the Washington Capitals selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

“Things are good, it’s been a long time since I’ve played hockey, so getting my feet wet again and starting the year off strong is important, but just getting back into a flow of things, and I find I’ve started to get a good rhythm going, but I just want to keep building,” Allen said.

With a large returning core of young defensive prospects that also includes Ryan Chesley, David Gucciardi, and Leon Muggli, as well as experienced defenders such as Jon McDonald and Louie Belpedio, there are already plenty of teammates from which to learn and grow together, and the addition of veterans such as Justin Holl (recently recalled to Washington) and Jacob MacDonald has provided an opportunity for Allen to take something from all of them.

“And I don’t just say that – this is an unbelievable group and it’s about learning from those guys, and they each bring a different piece. [MacDonald] – his offensive capabilities and running a power play, and knowing when to shoot the puck, that’s important to watch,” Allen said. “Hollsy, he's an awesome guy, and I loved playing with him. He was a great partner and just his poise – he looks like an NHLer, and he is – just a ton to learn from with those guys.”

Although Allen played for nearly a third of Hershey’s 72-game schedule last season, none of the games in which he earned a sweater were against the Bears’ opponent this weekend, the Providence Bruins. During the 2025-26 campaign he was a healthy scratch for the team’s Nov. 1 win at Providence, then missed two mid-December home games as part of an eight-game stretch in which he was unavailable due to injury, and the final meeting of the season in early March occurred following his surgery. Still, Allen is not deterred as he looks ahead to this weekend’s clashes with Providence, with Saturday’s tilt slated for 6 p.m.

“It feels like I’ve played against them because I’ve watched so many games and watched pretty closely, and they play a hard game,” Allen said. “They play a put-it-behind-you and go get it kind of game, and that can be tough for a D-man, but [for us] identifying the pressure, knowing where your outs are, and having some help from your forwards – they should be pretty good team, but we’ve got to be up for the challenge.”

Written by Bears media specialist Jesse Liebman