Jake Allen
Goaltender who won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019.
Last updated
Jake Allen (born August 7, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 34th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2008 NHL entry draft and won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. Allen has also played for the Montreal Canadiens.
Allen grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and played for the Midget "AAA" Fredericton Canadiens before the St. John's Fog Devils selected him in the third round of the 2007 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft. After one season, the Fog Devils moved to a Montreal suburb and became the Montreal Junior Hockey Club for 2008–09. In January 2010, he was traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs following the World Juniors tournament, posting an 18–3 record with a .933 save percentage and a 1.75 goals-against average. That season, he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as the QMJHL's top goaltender.
Professional
The Blues signed Allen to an entry-level contract on October 22, 2008. He made his NHL debut in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, briefly relieving Brian Elliott in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Kings on April 30. During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, he was recalled and earned his first NHL start and win in a 4–3 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings on February 13, 2013. In April 2014, he received the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the American Hockey League's best goaltender for 2013–14.
On March 26, 2016, Allen shut out the Washington Capitals 4–0, helping the Blues set a franchise record for the longest stretch without allowing a goal. He finished the 2015–16 season with 26 wins, a 2.35 GAA, and a .920 save percentage. The following season, he struggled through a rough patch, getting pulled four times in six starts—including a January 19, 2017 game against the Capitals where he allowed four goals on ten shots.
He stayed home from a January 21 road trip to be with his newborn daughter, rejoining the team on January 23. His play rebounded, and he was named Second Star of the Week on February 13 after going 3–0–0 with a 1.00 GAA, a .967 save percentage, and his 13th career shutout against the Ottawa Senators on February 7. He also beat the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 9 and the Montreal Canadiens on February 11.
Lore & Background
Allen played amateur hockey for the Fredericton Canadiens midget team before being drafted into the QMJHL by the St. John's Fog Devils. After the Fog Devils relocated to Verdun, becoming the Montreal Junior Hockey Club, Allen was traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in January 2010. He posted an 18–3 record with a .933 save percentage and 1.75 GAA that season, earning the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as QMJHL goaltender of the year.
In the NHL, Allen's career with the Blues included a franchise-record shutout streak in 2016 and a 100th career win in 2017. He was pulled multiple times during a rough stretch in the 2016–17 season but rebounded to earn Second Star of the Week honors. After the Blues fell to last place midway through the 2018–19 season, rookie Jordan Binnington took over as starter, and Allen finished the second half with a 5–4–4 record while the team won the Stanley Cup.
Traded to Montreal in September 2020, Allen immediately became a capable backup to Carey Price. When Price missed time due to a concussion in 2020–21, Allen's performance was credited with helping the Canadiens reach the playoffs, earning him the Jacques Beauchamp Molson Trophy.
The following season, after Price entered the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Allen started regularly and posted a 45-save shutout in San Jose, the Canadiens' first win there in over two decades. Injuries limited him to 10 more appearances after March 2022, and he called the season a 'season from hell.' In 2022–23, with Price out for the year, Allen shared starts with Sam Montembeault and finished third in Molson Cup voting. The 2023–24 season saw three goaltenders on Montreal's roster, leading to trade speculation; Allen played his 400th NHL game on November 2, 2023, and posted a 6–12–3 record with a .892 save percentage before being traded to New Jersey in March 2024.
Reader's Guide
Jake Allen's tenure with the Montreal Canadiens, though spanning only four seasons, was marked by his role as a stabilizing presence in net during a period of transition for the franchise. Acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Blues in September 2020, Allen immediately distinguished himself as a capable backup to Carey Price, particularly during the 2020–21 season when Price was sidelined with a concussion. Allen's performance was widely credited with allowing the Canadiens to reach the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, earning him the team's Jacques Beauchamp Molson Trophy. The following season, after Price entered the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Allen assumed starting duties and posted a memorable 45-save shutout in San Jose, the Canadiens' first victory there in over two decades.
However, injuries—including a groin injury in January 2022 and a lower-body injury in April 2022—limited his effectiveness, and he referred to the 2021–22 campaign as a 'season from hell.' In 2022–23, with Price ruled out for the entire season, Allen signed a two-year extension and shared starts with Sam Montembeault, finishing third in Molson Cup voting. The 2023–24 season saw Allen play his 400th NHL game but also featured a crowded goaltending situation that led to his trade to New Jersey in March 2024. Allen's legacy in Montreal is that of a reliable netminder who stepped up when needed, though his time was ultimately cut short by injury and roster dynamics.
Career statistics and honours
Medals
- Gold 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships
- Silver 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Canada | U18 | Gold | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 420 | 10 | 2 | 1.43 | .948 |
| 2010 | Canada | WJC | Silver | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 10 | 2 | 2.06 | .902 |
| Senior totals | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 10 | 2 | 2.06 | .902 | |||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| International | ||
| WJC18 All-Star Team | 2008 | |
| WJC18 Best Goaltender | 2008 | |
| WJC18 MVP | 2008 | |
| CHL | ||
| First All-Star Team | 2010 | |
| CHL Goaltender of the Year | 2010 | |
| QMJHL | ||
| Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy | 2010 | |
| First All-Star Team | 2010 | |
| AHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2011, 2014 | |
| First All-Star Team | 2014 | |
| Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award | 2014 | |
| NHL | ||
| All-Rookie Team | 2013, 2015 | |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2019 | |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Jake Allen (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- He recorded a 45-save shutout against the San Jose Sharks on October 28, 2021, the Canadiens' first win in San Jose in over two decades.
- Allen was the first goaltender in NHL history to record a victory against 33 different league franchises.
- He won a gold medal at the 2008 World U18 Championships and was named tournament MVP and top goaltender.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Jake Allen (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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