(Fully) Ready Or Not, Allison Returns To Flyers Hoping To Provide Spark

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - In a perfect world, Wade Allison would be getting ready for a pair of games with his Lehigh Valley Phantoms' teammates against the Charlotte Checkers this weekend with a chance to continue to get his game back to 100 percent.

If we've learned anything about anything in the world in the past two years, things aren't going "as planned". Things change on a day-to-day basis.

Instead, with the Philadelphia Flyers placing forwards Joel Farabee and Kevin Hayes on injured reserve, Allison - along with Jackson Cates - were called up Friday and will be in the NHL club's lineup on Saturday.

Allison recently returned from an upper body injury that caused a lengthier absence due the Phantoms' COVID outbreak postponing a pair of games in Providence earlier this month. After practicing just twice in 10 days, he played in all three of the Phantoms' games this past weekend - tallying a goal on Saturday and Sunday while also working off some proverbial rust in his game after his latest injury layoff.

"Anytime you're out from injury it takes a little bit of time to get your timing your pace, your conditioning back up. As much as you can skate, and work to get back in shape. When you physically start battling in the battles in the corner, and being involved in the pace of the game, and just the emotions of the game it's about finding your timing and getting comfortable," Phantoms' assistant coach Jason Smith told Inside AHL Hockey via phone Wednesday. "And then hopefully growing your game and playing with more competence every time you're out on the ice."

After Sunday's game, and having played three games in essentially a span of 48 hours (Friday at 7:15 p.m to Sunday at 7:15 p.m.), Allison looked like an extra from a set on The Walking Dead as he hobbled into the media room for his post-game interview with Inside AHL Hockey.

"I'm hanging in there. I'm breathing," a tired Allison said as he sat down at the podium set up in the Phantoms' media room. "Yeah, I felt okay. Hurtin' pretty good right now, but I'll be alright."

While it might have been easy to clamor for Allison to be brought back up to the Flyers immediately following this past weekend's games - the goals in back-to-back games certainly playing a part in that - there was just no logistical sense in bringing him up with how the Phantoms' 3-in-3 weekend coincided with the Flyers' Monday-Tuesday home and home series with the New York Islanders. They weren't calling him up to play a four games in four straight days, or even a four-in-five scenario fresh off an injury absence.

Even after another strong game with the Phantoms in a 3-1 win at Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, a game in which Allison made it goals in three straight games, it was evident that there was still more progress to be made in getting him back to "game shape".

"He's going the right way," Smith said of Allison trending in the right direction. "And now he's just got to continue to be a responsible player, you know, for 200 feet."

Even without head coach Ian Laperriere, who was unavailable on his birthday Wednesday night due to being placed in the league's COVID protocol on Monday, the staff is still practicing what their bench boss has been preaching since Day One.

"That is what the most important thing is. Taking steps, and becoming a player that's going to develop and grow to get to the next level," Smith said of the culture and identity being built in the Lehigh Valley. "The more complete you are as a player, the better opportunity you're going to give yourself to get to that next level."

While it was definitely a case of when and not if Allison would be re-joining the Flyers, the player came into the situation with the right attitude and approach.

"Work hard. Do everything I can," Allison quickly quipped when asked what he's hoping to get out of his time in the AHL with Lehigh Valley. "[Just] work as hard as possible, and the rest will take care of itself. I don't look into the future. I look at what I have right now, what I can do to make myself better and I don't look any farther than that."

For now, Allison's sights are likely set on his first NHL game this season as Philadelphia takes on the Buffalo Sabres Saturday afternoon.

Allison's personality and positive vibes helped spark the Phantoms, who had just three wins in 19 games to open the season prior to Allison appearing in a game. Perhaps it's just by coincidence, but since Allison's first game of the season with Lehigh Valley on December 11th, the team is 8-1-3 with points in 11 out of their last 12 games.

The Flyers, and their fans alike, are certainly hoping for a similar effect with Allison on the NHL roster.

READ ALSO: Allison Bringing More Than Positive Vibes To Phantoms