Jake Allen (born August 7, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 34th overall, by the St. Louis Blues in the 2008 NHL entry draft and won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. Allen has also previously played for the Montreal Canadiens.
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Playing career
Amateur
Allen was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and played for the Midget "AAA" Fredericton Canadiens before being selected in the third round of the 2007 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft by the St. John's Fog Devils. After one season with the team, the Fog Devils were sold and relocated to Verdun, a Montreal suburb, becoming the Montreal Junior Hockey Club for the 2008–09 season. In January 2010, Allen was traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs following the annual World Juniors tournament, and posted a record of 18 wins and three losses with a .933 save percentage and 1.75 goals against average (GAA). He was named the recipient of the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as QMJHL goaltender of the year in 2009–10.
Professional
On October 22, 2008, Allen was signed to an entry-level contract by draft team, the St. Louis Blues. He made his NHL debut during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, coming in to briefly relieve Brian Elliott late in the Blues' second game against the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference semifinals on April 30. Amidst the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Allen was recalled to the Blues and recorded his first NHL start and win in a 4–3 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings on February 13, 2013.
In April 2014, Allen was named the recipient of the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the American Hockey League's (AHL) best goaltender for the 2013–14 season.
On March 26, 2016, Allen registered a 4–0 shutout win over the Washington Capitals to help the Blues break their franchise record for longest stretch without allowing a goal. In the 2015–16 season, he tallied 26 wins along with a 2.35 GAA and .920 save percentage.
During the 2016–17 season, Allen was pulled four times in six starts during a rough stretch of play, including a poor showing on January 19, 2017, where he allowed four goals on 10 shots against the Washington Capitals. Allen did not travel with the team to Winnipeg for the January 21 game against the Winnipeg Jets, and stayed home to be with his newborn daughter. He was scheduled to rejoin the team on January 23, for the remaining two games of the road trip. His play soon rebounded however, and he was named Second Star of the Week on February 13. Allen went 3–0–0 with a 1.00 GAA, a .967 save percentage along with his 13th career shutout against the Ottawa Senators on February 7. His two other wins were against the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 9, and Montreal Canadiens on February 11.
On November 16, 2017, Allen recorded his 100th career NHL win in a 4–1 defeat of the Edmonton Oilers.
Allen won the Stanley Cup behind rookie netminder Jordan Binnington in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. He had begun the season as the starting goaltender, however, after the team dove to last place in league standings midway through the 2018–19 campaign, the latter was given a shot. While Binnington shone in goal, Allen finished the second half of the season with a 5–4–4 record.
International play
Allen was chosen to play for the Canadian under-18 team in the 2008 World U18 Championships where he won gold and was named both top goaltender and the tournament's most valuable player (MVP).
He then represented the national junior team at the 2010 World Junior Championships, capturing a silver medal after posting four wins and one subsequent loss in the final to Team USA.
Personal life
As a teenager, Allen was a promising young golfer, and won back-to-back junior golf championships on the same course he worked on up until he was drafted to the NHL.
Allen and his wife Shannon have three daughters.