Dallman's Path to Successful Pro Career
January 26, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release
A former Guelph Storm captain, and now recognized as the franchise's second all-time defenseman, Kevin Dallman began his path to a successful professional hockey career on the Storm blueline.
Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com ---
The second-best defenseman in Guelph Storm history has, seemingly, always been about the less traveled route.
But now currently active in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) of Kazakhstan, Kevin Dallman has no qualms with where his professional hockey career has taken him.
"I don't really know what's the negative with a lot of guys about coming over," Dallman told the Guelph Mercury back in 2011. "I don't want to knock the AHL, but this league's one step ahead of it."
One of the league's best defensemen, regularly and almost annually appearing in the All-Star game, while also earning the Best Defenseman title to conclude the 2008-09 season, the former Storm captain began his path to a successful professional career back in 1998 - then, a rookie on the blueline for the Royal City.
The Niagara Falls, Ontario native posted a solid 38 points (eight goals, 30 assists) in his first 68 games with the club, and would stamp consistent improvement to his resume from there on out.
As a sophomore during the 1999-2000 campaign, Dallman amassed for 59 points (13 goals, 46 assists) in 67 games, while jumping to a career-high in goals with 25 for a 77-point display in 66 games the next season.
In Dallman's fourth and final major junior go-around, the Storm defenseman enjoyed a career-year, compiling a high of 86 points (23 goals, 63 assists) in 67 regular season games. Moving into the postseason, the five-foot-eleven, 190-pound defenseman continued to set new individual standards, posting an impressive 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in a mere nine games.
As Guelph hosted the 2002 Memorial Cup tournament that season, the Storm joined the OHL Champions, the Erie Otters, along with the Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) and the Kootenay Ice (WHL) in competing for the national title.
After going 1-2 in the round robin, falling to Kootenay and Erie after an opening 5-1 win over Victoriaville, the Storm were dealt their tournament's end in the tie-breaker - a 4-3 loss to Victoriaville.
Victoriaville, later moving on to the finals, faced off against Kootenay, but the Ice would prevail, earning the franchise's first Memorial Cup title in a 6-3 victory.
In the tournament, Dallman was undoubtedly one of Guelph's best players, recording six points (one goal, five assists) in four games, capping off his major junior tenure as a member of the Memorial Cup All-Star team.
From there, left undrafted, Dallman signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins July 18, 2002, marking the beginning of the former Storm defenseman's 13-and-going professional hockey seasons.
Dallman played three seasons in the National Hockey League, spending time with the Bruins, the St. Louis Blues, and the Los Angeles Kings before making the move to becoming one of the best defensemen in the KHL today.
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