Claimed: Gabriel McAllister Rookie Profile

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The Basics

Full Name: Gabriel McAllister

Position: LW

Age: 20

Handedness: Right

Height (inches): 5'10”

Weight (lbs.): 170

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

 

Hailing from the Zach Warren agency that is just coming off a Hall of Fame player in Hans Wingate, it’s clear that all eyes will be on Chicago-born left winger Gabriel McAllister. And indeed, entering the VHLM, McAllister projects as a potential top five pick in the Season 56 VHL Draft.

 

Worthiness, though, is in the eye of the beholder. During his time in high school and briefly at the University of North Dakota, McAllister showed prodigious offensive skill, but his defensive game is lacking. In addition, he hasn’t played against much top flight talent like what he’ll see in the VHLM, let alone in the VHL once he gets there.

 

But despite the limited tape on him so far, scouts have still been able to get a decent feel for what McAllister will be about as a VHL player. Here are some of the strengths and weaknesses they’ve identified thus far:

 

 

Scoring: Watch Gabriel McAllister for a game or two, and it’s clear what his function in the team is – a do-everything offensive playmaker, particularly when it comes to making shot opportunities. For those who for some reason watch the NHL instead of the VHL, think of a winger in the Patrick Kane mold, who can create his own shot simply by skating through the defense and looking for a hole. Although his passing skill isn’t terrible, it’s clear McAllister would rather shoot if he had his choice.

 

Natural Ease: If there’s something that is a common thread along all Warren agency players, it’s the natural ability that they seem to be able to play with. Of course, this often manifests on the ice – even Karsten Olsen is one of the top point scorers in Bears history – but it also works in the practice facility as well. Often, it seems like McAllister simply doesn’t have to work as hard as others to grow as a player, which can help him even on the weeks where he doesn’t have the drive to put in effort in practice.

 

Longevity: One common thread that has occurred from a recent VHL change to allow agents to have two players at one time is longevity – if you’re bored with a client, well, he can retire early, and the agent can pick up another! For the Warren agency, though, that temptation will never be there. According to reports, the agency will commit to only signing one player at a time, and even if he’s not winning championships, it’s very unlikely McAllister will retire early.

 

 

Checking: The Mikka Virkkunen Trophy has become somewhat of a punchline for many members in the VHL; it’s rarely ever a goal that players actually aspire to win. For McAllister, though, a Virkkunen or two certainly seems to be in his future. He has no checking ability whatsoever, and due to his small 5’10” frame, he doesn’t really show an inclination to learn any time soon. I wouldn’t be surprised to see McAllister max out his other abilities before going anywhere near checking or strength.

 

Work Ethic: It’s no secret that the Warren agency hasn’t had a VHL player since Hans Wingate retired following Season 50, and even then, Wingate was not practicing at full capacity since roughly the middle of Season 49. Concerns about work ethic is what doomed defenseman Karsten Olsen from not reaching his full potential as well. It’s clear that McAllister will be able to get better quickly if he even puts in a modicum of work, but will he even do that much?

 

Experience: The issue of experience cuts two ways for McAllister. First of all, he simply hasn’t had much time playing organized hockey, just four years of high school and a very short time in college. Even with training ahead of his entrance to the VHLM, it’s clear he’ll be one of the most raw players in the league. Second of all, he’s also not likely to receive much help from the Warren agency. As interesting as it is, McAllister is the first ever player in the agency to enter the draft as a forward, and questions remain about whether the agency will help McAllister practice in a correct way to build a star offensive player.

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