Shaun Van Allen

Shaun Van Allen was drafted 105th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. A standout with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, Van Allen was placed in the team's minor league system for further seasoning, and his NHL debut came on February, 1991 against the New Jersey Devils. After playing just two games he was sent back to the AHL's Cape Breton Oilers. The next year he won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy for being the AHL leading scorer. In the 1992-93 season, Cape Breton, led by Van Allen, captured the Calder Cup title.

The team released Van Allen following the AHL playoffs. Before the end of July 1993, Van Allen signed with the expansion Anaheim Mighty Ducks and quickly became an NHL regular.

Three seasons later, Van Allen was traded to the Ottawa Senators, where he spent four seasons before joining the Dallas Stars in the summer of 2000. The former Saskatoon Blade played parts of two seasons in Dallas before he was acquired by the Montreal Canadiens in the early stages of the 2001-02 season. Van Allen's stay in Montreal was short lived as he returned to Ottawa the following year and scored a career high 12 goals and 32 points with the Sens while playing a defensive role on the team's march through the 2003 playoffs.