Say hello to one of the scouting staff’s best finds over the last few seasons. Will Tristan Allard finish his story and make it to the NHL this season? There is a fighting chance.
| Name | Tristan Allard |
| Position | C/LW |
| Age (as of October 1) | 23 |
| Height/Weight | 6’2″, 196 lb. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | Syracuse Crunch |
| Draft – Year, Round | Undrafted |
| Previous Rankings | Unranked |
| Justin G.’s Ranking | 19 |
| Final Rank | 24 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
There may not be a better story of taking advantage of the chances given to a player than Tristan Allard. His story is also one of perseverance and making the most of opportunities. Undrafted in the CHL, played in France during the COVID years, undrafted in the NHL, Allard signed a two-year, entry-level deal with the Lightning this summer, and should be in line for a call-up either this year or next.
There wasn’t much hype for Allard as a prospect heading into his draft year. The Ontario-native had attended Northwood School in Lake Placid before heading over to France for the 2019-20 season. Returning to North America he made the roster of the Gatineau Olympiques where he had two mediocre seasons (96 games, 15 goals, 21 assists). He did put up 6 points (2 goals in 4 assists) in 7 playoff games in 2021, but it wasn’t enough to stay on the roster as Gatineau traded him later that summer to Rouyn-Noranda for a second-round pick.
It was a solid deal for the Huskies as the 20-year-old Allard led the team in scoring with 77 points (27 goals, 50 assists) while serving as one of the alternate captains. Perhaps the Lightning scouts were out watching his teammate, defenseman Dyllan Gill, and decided to take a small chance on the forward. Following the Huskies playoff elimination (where Allard had 3 goals and 5 assists in 9 games) he signed a two-year AHL contract with Syracuse. He joined them on an ATO for the rest of the season and appeared in one playoff game.
During his two seasons under the AHL contract, he appeared in 108 games with 12 goals and 22 assists. While he hasn’t lit up the scoreboard, the 6’1, 196 lb. forward is a relentless physical presence. He doesn’t shy away from contact and is steady forechecker. If the puck is loose in the offensive zone, he’s headed it for it, ready to lay a hit on an opponent if they play the puck first.
Offensively, he likes to occupy the front of the net relying on deflections and rebounds. Most of his skills are adequate and nothing jumps off the table in regards to his skating or shooting. Like a majority of the prospects on this list, the sum of the parts is greater than any one particular skill. He is just a solid hockey player.
His path to the NHL, much like Kayden Pitre’s, will be as a two-way forward on the bottom-six. There is a log-jam of similar players with that trajectory already in the system so Allard will have to set himself apart in some way over the next two seasons to get his shot at the NHL. Staying healthy and improving his offensive consistency will help with that this season.
Tristan Allard probably isn’t going to be on the shortlist for call-ups this season, but he’s been counted out before and still made it work. He should have a much bigger role with the Crunch this season than he has had over his first two. If he takes advantage of that opportunity, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him contending for a roster spot on the Lightning for the 2026-27 season.
Your Thoughts:
Again, no specific thoughts for Allard but he falls under the description that one of the voters left,
“Here’s to more than a few of them making the team, making an impact, and having a solid professional hockey career.”
Highlight Videos:
This is a really nice one-timer. Dylan Duke makes the play along the boards, but Allard is right where he needs to be and doesn’t hesitate on the shot.
A lot of forwards would have tried to force the pass to Joel Teasdale who is streaking down the middle of the ice and has a step on his defender. Allard notices that the seam to thread the puck through isn’t that wide and hits the trailer, Max Groshev, with a perfect pass. He played the odds on this one and it paid off with a goal.
