Dave Allison

Playing career

Allison spent his junior hockey career with the Cornwall Royals of the QMJHL, appearing in 189 games from 1976–79, and registering 89 points (18G-71A). He led the league in penalty minutes with 407 during his final season. Allison went undrafted, but was signed as a free agent by the then Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens in 1979.

Allison spent 5 seasons with the Canadiens' AHL farm team, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, with his best season coming in 1981–82 when he recorded 8 goals and 25 assists in 78 games, while finishing 2nd in the league with 332 PIM. He eventually appeared in 3 games with Montreal during the 1983–84 season, recording no points and 12 PIM. The Canadiens moved their AHL club for the 1984–85 season to Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Allison would play 4 games with the Sherbrooke Canadiens before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers, who assigned him to the Nova Scotia Oilers, their AHL team.

Allison played in 68 games in Nova Scotia before spending the following two seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL. He contributed 11 points (2G-9A) in 14 playoff games as the Lumberjacks won the 1987 Turner Cup. He served as a player/assistant coach with the Lumberjacks during the 86–87 season.

During the summer of 1987, Allison was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, and he would spend the 1987–88 season playing with the Newmarket Saints of the AHL, recording 10 points (1G-9A) in 48 games. He then spent the first part of the 1988–89 season with the Halifax Citadels, the Quebec Nordiques AHL affiliate, playing in 12 games, and registering 3 points (1G-2A), before moving to the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL, serving as an assistant coach with the club for the rest of the season. Following the 1988–89 season, Allison retired as a player.

Coaching career

In 1989–90, Allison was hired by the Virginia Lancers of the ECHL, finishing with a record of 36–18–6, good for 3rd in the league, before losing in the first round of the playoffs. In 1990–91, Allison moved to the Albany Choppers of the IHL, where the club had a 22–30–3 record before suspending operations. Allison would then finish off the 90–91 hockey season coaching the Richmond Renegades of the ECHL, where they finished with a 29–29–6 record, then lost in the first round of the playoffs. Allison returned as coach of the Renegades in 1991–92, leading the club to a 30–27–7 record, before falling in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Allison then moved to the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL for the 1992–93 season, leading the Fronts to a 36–19–11 record, and to the third round of the playoffs before losing to the Peterborough Petes. He returned to the Frontenacs in 1993–94, posting a 30–28–8 record, but lost to the Belleville Bulls in the first round.

Allison was hired by the Ottawa Senators organization in 1994 as head coach of their chief farm team, the Prince Edward Island Senators of the AHL. In 1994–95 he guided them to a 41–31–8 record. Allison began the 1995–96 season with PEI, leading them to a 10–11–2 record through 23 games. When the parent team in Ottawa fired head coach Rick Bowness in late 1995, Allison was selected as his replacement. He would be fired after only 27 games, finishing with a dismal record of 2–22–3, and being replaced by Jacques Martin.

In 1996–97, Allison became coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins and led them to a 40–30–12 record before losing in the first round. In 1997–98 he returned to Grand Rapids, and led the team to a 30–25–7 record before being replaced with 20 games left in the season.

Allison's next head coaching job came in 1999–2000 with the Fort Wayne Komets of the UHL, leading them to a 40–27–7 record and a trip to the 3rd round of the playoffs. He returned to the IHL as coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, the Nashville Predators IHL affiliate, leading the team to a 42–33–7 record, but losing in the first round of the playoffs. He moved with the club to the AHL in 2001–02, but missed the playoffs with a 30–35–10–5 record.

Allison then took a few years away from the pro ranks before taking over the Iowa Stars of the AHL, the Dallas Stars affiliate, leading them to a 41–31–1–7 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs in his first season with the franchise. In between he spent time behind the bench of the Fort Frances, Ontario-based Borderland Thunder of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.

Allison was named head coach of the AHL's Peoria Rivermen on June 13, 2012. He replaced Jared Bednar as head coach. He was an assistant coach of the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves for the 2013-2014 AHL Season.

Allison is currently the head coach and GM of the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL.

Personal

He is the brother of ex-NHL player Mike Allison. He currently lives in Des Moines with his wife and three daughters: Avery, Olivia, and Isabella.