‘A Better Person & Better Hockey Player’: Capitals’ Cam Allen Reinventing Himself On, Off The Ice
Washington Capitals prospect Cam Allen opens up about his journey and how he's doing better as he prepares to make the jump to pro hockey this year.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals prospect Cam Allen stares out at the ice rink, taking a deep breath and smiling. He’s doing better mentally after an emotional season in London, but admits he’s still putting the pieces back together.
“I feel good now. It’s still a work in progress,” he said. “Still things I need to work on in my everyday life, but I think I’m headed in the right direction.”
Allen’s journey since his draft year hasn’t been an easy one. Once projected as a first-round talent, Allen fell to the Capitals in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Then, a shoulder injury in development camp led to surgery, holding him off the ice until mid-way through his post-draft season.
This past year, as he made a statement as one of the OHL’s top defensemen, he was traded from the Guelph Storm to the London Knights, and as he adapted to his new team, he ran into issues away from the rink.
In February, he was arrested on drunk driving charges following a single-vehicle collision. Allen pled guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation, 100 hours of community service and counselling for alcohol issues, and following a 15-game suspension from the OHL, he was reinstated while following a treatment plan.
“In the end, all the adversity I went through will be for the better. It made me a better person and ultimately, a better hockey player too,” Allen said.
The resources made available to him have allowed him to reinvent himself. Washington, who signed Allen to his entry-level contract in 2024, has supported his recovery, while mentor and Capitals alternate captain Tom Wilson has remained a valuable confidant for the rising defenseman.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself this year and I’ve done a lot of growing on my own and with the help of teammates and others,” Allen said, adding, “I couldn’t be more thankful for having them in my corner. Definitely take advantage of the resources I have. Something I’ve learned as well, how to do that, just letting people lead you in the right direction is really important.”
While it hasn’t been “all sunshine and rainbows,” Allen said he’s in a much better headspace.
“One day at a time, and getting through tough days as well,” Allen said.
He’s also taken to writing things down, and each day, he has a “personal creed” that he tries to live up to.
“Having a list of things you come back to, morals and what you believe in, can help you stay grounded in any situation, but it also can help you make decisions you know you won’t regret,” Allen said. “It’ll help you sleep better at night if you go to bed knowing you stuck to that personal creed that day and that’s something I’ve been working on to improve my decision-making moving forward off the ice, but you could even add it on the ice, too. I think just having your own set of morals and things you live by is really important.”
For Allen, though, hockey has remained a haven as he continues his recovery.
“Hockey is something I always go back to for some mental clarity. It’s like therapy to me,” Allen said. “Being around my teammates, being on the ice, it’s helped me mentally a lot this year. Definitely a lot of lessons I’ve taken from this year, for sure.”
Allen ultimately finished the year on a high note, returning to the Knights to help lead them to the Memorial Cup. He also totalled 45 points in 47 regular-season games between Guelph and London.
Now graduated from juniors, Allen is making the jump to pro hockey this coming season. He’s been among the top skaters at development camp and is looking forward to showcasing what he can do at training camp in the fall.
Allen expects to play with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he’ll aim to play a key part on the blue line while helping the team return to the Calder Cup.
When it comes to making that transition, Allen said he’s feeling confident and ready mentally, but ultimately, he’s doing what he can to be prepared.
“I’m feeling confident in myself. Training camp will be huge, I’m working this summer so I can have that confidence coming in,” Allen said, adding, “I’m just putting my best foot forward and doing whatever I can to make their decisions hard.
“There’s a lot to work on,” Allen said, adding, “Being ready for it mentally and just chipping away on the ice every day… watching hockey, learning from other guys, learning from older guys when they get to training camp and stuff. That’ll be what helps me the most.”