At the beginning of each season you look at the Allen Americans roster and wonder what players will lead the team in points and goals when the season ends. The most important factor is how many games will a player play. As coach Martinson always says scoring goals will get you noticed by AHL teams so a good start means the likelihood a player will get recalled or loaned to an AHL team. The other major factor is injury. If a player doesn't stay healthy for most if not all of the season it is difficult to lead the team in points or goals. The best example is Chad Costello who averaged 33 goals and 117 points per season in his three years with the Americans and never missed a game.
- Here are a few examples of great stats that could have been record breaking if the player had played the full season.
Tyler Sheehy - Tyler led the Americans in points (70) and tied for the lead in goals (26) in 2019-20 but only played in 47 games because of injuries, call ups and the canceled season. Based on his scoring over 47 games, if he had played 72 games he would have had 107 points (40G, 67A).
Gabe Gagne - Gabe got off to a big start in 2019-20 scoring 24 goals in 36 games before the AHL came calling. His pace over a full 72 game season would have been 48 goals.
Gary Steffes - In 2014-15 Gary Steffes set Allen's all time record for goals in a season at 44 but missed the last nine games of the season when he was loaned to Milwaukee (AHL). He scored four goals in nine games with Milwaukee. Had he stayed in Allen and played the last three weeks of the season, based on his pace of 44 goals in 63 games he would have hit 50 goals. There has only been one 50 goal season in the ECHL in the last 20 years. Kevin Baker had 57 goals playing for Florida in 2008-09.
Scott Howes - In 2012-13 Scott started the season in Allen and got off to a phenomenal start scoring 21 goals in the first 22 games of the season before leaving for the AHL never to return. This was in Allen's CHL days when the regular season was 66 games so Scott was in Allen the first third of the season. Had he stayed in Allen all season and kept up the pace, Howes would have finished the season with an eye popping 63 goals.
Jack Combs - In 2014-15 Jack started the season in Allen and played in 32 games before leaving to sign in Europe. In 32 games Jack had 56 points (22G, 34A). Had he stayed in Allen the entire season and kept up the same pace he would have ended up with 126 points (50G, 76A). He also would have played in the ECHL All-Star (he was selected just prior to leaving for Europe) and won a Kelly Cup.
Bryan Moore - In 2016-17 Bryan had 27 goals for the Americans but only played in 44 games. His first game for Allen wasn't until the end of November when he was acquired in a trade from Orlando. Between injuries, suspensions and AHL loans he only played in 44 games. Based on his goals per game average, over a full season he would have had 44 goals.
The examples above are just few that are fun to look at and conjecture what could have been. Here is what actually did happen, a salute to the top three goal scorers in each of Allen's 11 seasons:
2019-20 - Tyler Sheehy (26), Jordan Topping (26), Gabe Gagne (24)
2018-19 - Zach Pochiro (34), Dante Salituro (22), Braylon Shmyr (20)
2017-18 - Bryan Moore (21), Alex Guptill (20), Casey Pierro-Zabotel (19)
2016-17 - Greger Hanson (35), Chad Costello (33), Bryan Moore (27)
2015-16 - Chad Costello (24), Gary Steffes (22), Chris Crane (21)
2014-15 - Gary Steffes (44), Chad Costello (41), Greger Hanson (28)
2013-14 - Jonathan Lessard (28), Alex Lavoie (25), Greger Hanson (21), Jamie Schaafsma (21)
2012-13 - Jamie Schaafsma (24), Darryl Bootland (22), Scott Howes (21)
2011-12 - Bruce Graham (26), Colton Yellow Horn (24), Jim McKenzie (20)
2010-11 - Bruce Graham (34), Nino Musitelli (34), Colton Yellow Horn (33)
2009-10 - Bruce Graham (31), Nino Musitelli (23), Justin Bowers (23)
DID YOU KNOW: Here is some Allen trivia on the top goal scorers:
- Only one Allen team had three 30 goals scorers in a single season (2010-11) and that was a season when the CHL played 66 games compared to the 72 games in the ECHL.
- Chad Costello is one of two players that scored 40 goals in a season but the only season he led the team in goals (2015-16) he scored 24 goals.
- Bruce Graham is the only player in team history to lead the Americans in goals three seasons.
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