Allen Brings Coaching Experience to Coyotes

GLENDALE -Scott Allen is a seasoned hockey coach eager for the next challenge.
The Coyotes named Allen, and John MacLean, as assistant coaches to Head Coach Rick Tocchet on Wednesday.
"I am extremely excited about being a member of the staff with Rich and John MacLean," said Allen, who has coached pro hockey since 1996. "I think the biggest reason (Allen and Tocchet) clicked is because we feel very similar with how the game needs to be played with the young nucleus of up-and-coming NHL stars we have in our lineup. I spent a good part of my coaching career in the American Hockey League and both teams I've been with in the NHL, the New York Islanders and Florida this past year, the nucleus at the time I was there was young guys … It seems to me they are really trying to get things going in the right direction, and that young nucleus and young core is very appealing to me."
Allen, 51, will work primarily with Arizona's defensemen and the penalty-killing unit. In that role with Florida last season, Allen guided the Panthers to an 85.3 percent success rate on the PK that ranked second-best in the League.

"Scott ran the penalty kill down in Florida and he had some good stats, and I think Florida led the League in rush chances against and were one of the better teams in defense," Tocchet said. "There are a lot of those hidden stats that kind of impressed me. I actually watched the Florida PK and there are certain concepts that I want to see (here). I liked the way we penalty killed in Pittsburgh, but there are certain things in Florida I might want to incorporate because of Scott."
Allen never played in the NHL, but he has been a head coach and an assistant coach in both the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League. His NHL resume includes three years an assistant coach for the Islanders and one for the Panthers.
"I can tell you I have done lots of research and development through the years and have watched thousands of hours of video and situations," Allen said. "I take pride in putting the time in and trying to be as educated as possible when making decisions."

Technology and analytics have become huge parts of coaching in the NHL, and Allen, like Tocchet and MacLean, has embraced them.
"We are in the information era and if you are not using the information it just doesn't make sense," Allen said. "There also has to be a balance in there because we are talking about human beings, because they are the product going on the ice day in and day out. The smartest guys in the business are the ones that balance it out. I have some old school in me, but I am not an old-school guy that is going to fight the analytics. On the flip side, I think there are guys that go 100 percent analytics, but for me there is a fine line and a mix to have the right product."
Tocchet said he spoke to about 30 people regarding the two open spots on his staff before picking MacLean and Allen. Both, he said, received rave reviews from other hockey insiders the team consulted as it did its due diligence.
"I think the biggest thing is that I am not a copycat coach," Allen said. "I'm very respectful of the game and very respectful of other coaches and how things are done. When one team has success with it then we'll see 10 teams try to duplicate what that team did. It's difficult to do unless you have similar personnel. I like to think about it and take what we have as a staff with our players and personnel and build around that."