Jake Allen is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on August 7, 1990, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Allen began his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Montreal Juniors in 2007. He played for the Juniors for three seasons, during which he was named the QMJHL's top goaltender in 2009-10.
In 2010, Allen was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the NHL Entry Draft. He spent the next few seasons playing for the Blues' minor league affiliates, the Peoria Rivermen and the Chicago Wolves. Allen made his NHL debut with the Blues in 2012 and quickly established himself as a reliable backup goaltender.
Over the next few seasons, Allen split time with the Blues' starting goaltender, Brian Elliott. In the 2015-16 season, Allen took over as the Blues' primary goaltender and helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. He had a strong playoff performance, with a .920 save percentage and two shutouts.
Allen continued to be a key player for the Blues over the next few seasons, but the team struggled to make the playoffs. In 2018-19, Allen split time with rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington, who helped lead the Blues to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Although Allen did not play in the playoffs, he was an important part of the team's success during the regular season.
In the following season, Allen continued to serve as the Blues' backup goaltender behind Binnington. He played in 24 games and had a .927 save percentage, helping the team make the playoffs once again. However, the Blues were eliminated in the first round.
In October 2020, Allen was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for draft picks. He became the Canadiens' backup goaltender behind Carey Price and played in 29 games during the shortened 2020-21 season. Allen had a .907 save percentage and helped the Canadiens make a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were ultimately defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Overall, Jake Allen has had a successful career as an NHL goaltender, with a career save percentage of .912 and 25 shutouts. He has been a reliable backup goaltender and has also shown that he can be a strong starter when given the opportunity. Allen's experience and skill have made him a valuable asset to the teams he has played for, and he will likely continue to be a key player in the NHL for years to come.
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