Dave Allison

For other people named David Allison, see David Allison (disambiguation).

Dave Allison (born April 14, 1959 in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada) is a former career minor league professional ice hockey defenceman and current head coach of the Iowa Stars ice hockey team of the American Hockey League (AHL). He once briefly coached the Ottawa Senators. He is the brother of Mike Allison.

Playing career

Allison played his junior hockey with the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL, appearing in 189 games from 1976-79, registering 89 points (18G-81A) during his time there. He led the league in penalty minutes with 409 during his final season. Allison went undrafted, but the Montreal Canadiens signed him as a free agent in 1979.

After his junior career, Allison would spend the next 5 seasons (1979-84) with the Canadiens AHL team, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, with his best season coming in 1981-82, when he got 33 points (8G-25A) in 78 games, and finished 2nd in the league with 332 PIM. He also appeared in 3 games with Montreal during the 1983-84, going pointless along with 12 PIM. The Canadiens moved their AHL club for the 1984-85 season to Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Allison would play 4 games with the Sherbrooke Canadiens before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers, who assigned him to the Nova Scotia Oilers, their AHL team.

In 1985-86, Allison was sent to play with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL, recording 37 points (7G-30A) in 66 games, along with a team high 247 PIM. Allison would add 11 points (2G-9A) in 14 playoff games, as the Lumberjacks won the Turner Cup. He returned to Muskegon in 1986-87 and set professional career highs in goals (11), assists (35), points (46) and penalty minutes (337). Allison added 7 points (4G-3A) in 15 playoff games, but the Lumberjacks lost to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the finals. He also was an assistant coach with the Lumberjacks during the 86-87 season.

During the summer of 1987, Allison was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he would spend the 1987-88 season playing with the Newmarket Saints of the AHL, recording 10 points (1G-9A) in 48 games. He then spent the first part of the 1988-89 season with the Halifax Citadels, the Quebec Nordiques AHL affiliate, playing in 12 games, and getting 3 points (1G-2A), beforing moving to the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL, appearing in 33 games and registering 7 assists, and was an assistant coach with the club for the rest of the season. After the 1988-89 season, Allison retired as a player.

Coaching career

In 1989-90, Allison was hired by the Virginia Lancers of the ECHL, finishing with a record of 36-18-6, good for 3rd in the league, before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

In 1990-91, Allison moved to the Albany Choppers of the IHL, where the club had a 22-30-3 record before suspending operations. Allison would then finish off the 90-91 hockey season coaching the Richmond Renegades of the ECHL, where they finished with a 29-29-6 record, then lost in the first round of the playoffs. Allison returned as coach of the Renegades in 1991-92, leading the club to a 30-27-7 record, before falling in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

He then moved to the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL for the 1992-93 season, leading the Fronts to a 36-19-11 record, and to the third round of the playoffs before losing to the Peterborough Petes. He returned to the Frontenacs in 1993-94, posting a 30-28-8 record, but lost to the Belleville Bulls in the first round.

Allison then took a job with the Prince Edward Island Senators of the AHL in 1994-95, leading them to a 41-31-8 record, and to the 2nd round of the playoffs where they lost to the Fredricton Canadiens. Allison began the 1995-96 with PEI, leading them to a 10-11-2 record through 23 games. Then the Ottawa Senators fired their head coach Rick Bowness, and hired Dave Allison for the job. He spent only 27 games with the team, finishing with a 2-22-3 record before getting fired and being replaced by Jacques Martin.

In 1996-97, Allison became coach of the St. Louis Blues affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, and led them to a 40-30-12 record before losing in the first round. In 1997-98 he returned to Grand Rapids, and led the team to a 30-25-7 record before being replaced with 20 games left in the season.

Allison's next head coaching job came in 1999-2000 with the Fort Wayne Komets of the UHL, leading them to a 40-27-7 record and a trip to the 3rd round of the playoffs.

He returned to the IHL as coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, the Nashville Predators IHL affiliate, leading the team to a 42-33-7 record, but losing in the first round of the playoffs. He moved with the club to the AHL in 2001-02, but missed the playoffs with a 30-35-10-5 record.

Allison then took a few years away from the pro ranks before taking over the Iowa Stars of the AHL, the Dallas Stars affiliate, leading them to a 41-31-1-7 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs in his first season with the franchise. In between he spent time behind the bench of the Fort Frances, Ontario-based Borderland Thunder of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.