Nearly two months after making him the 32nd overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks inked their first-round draft pick, defenseman Nolan Allan, to a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday.
The deal for the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native carries an annual salary cap hit of $870,000 through the 2023–24 season.
Fans will get an early look at Allan wearing a Blackhawks sweater this weekend, as he begins his career playing in the 2021 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase against the Minnesota Wild at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Despite the new contract, Allan is expected to play this upcoming season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League, which he stated previously.
An 18-year-old defense-first rearguard, Allan is coming off a strong performance at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Junior Championships this past spring, where he registered a goal and an assist in seven games while helping Canada win the gold medal. In 2020–21, he played in 16 regular season games for Prince Albert, where he recorded two points (one goal, one assist). Allan registered career highs for games played (58), goals (two) and assists (six) during Prince Albert’s 2019–20 season.