Bryan Allen (ice hockey)

Bryan Nigel Allen (born August 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2001 and 2014.

Bryan Allen
Allen with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011
Born (1980-08-21) August 21, 1980 (age 43)
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
PositionDefence
ShotLeft
Played forVancouver Canucks
Florida Panthers
Carolina Hurricanes
Anaheim Ducks
Montreal Canadiens
NHL draft4th overall, 1998
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career2000–2015

Playing career edit

Allen was the fourth overall selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft to the Vancouver Canucks. A big, bruising defender with a mean streak, Allen earned comparisons to Derian Hatcher at the time of his selection.

Allen made the Canucks at age 18 in his first camp, but was unable to reach a contract with the team's management and returned to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Oshawa Generals, his junior team. Despite being limited to 37 out of his team's 66 games, his strong leadership style of play earned him OHL First All-Star Team honours. He was also selected to represent Canada at the 1999 World Junior Championships.

After missing substantial parts of the two previous seasons due to injury, he missed virtually all of the 1999–00 campaign following surgery.

Allen would play most of his first two professional seasons in minor-pro before earning a regular roster spot in the 2002–03 season, appearing in 48 games and scoring 5 goals. With the departure of Murray Baron in the summer of 2003, Allen became a regular for the Canucks and did a fine job of replacing Baron's size and physical play. He was especially a standout on the penalty kill, logging heavy minutes as the Canucks finished near the top of the NHL in that category. On November 5, Allen was suspended for two games following an incident on November 3 in which he slashed Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg, breaking his leg.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Allen suited up for Khimik Voskresensk of the Russian Superleague (RSL) to stay in game shape. Back in Vancouver for the 2005–06 season, with the departures of Marek Malík and Brent Sopel, as well as long-term injuries to several other defenders, Allen's icetime skyrocketed and he became one of the team's most important defenders, finishing with career highs of 7 goals and 17 points.

On June 23, 2006, Allen was involved in a multi-player trade that sent him, Todd Bertuzzi and Alex Auld to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Roberto Luongo, Lukáš Krajíček and a sixth-round draft pick. The 2006–07 season would be the best of his career to date, as he set career highs with 21 assists and 25 points and established himself as one of the Panthers' top defenders.

A knee injury caused Allen to miss all but two games of the 2008–09 season with the Panthers.

On February 28, 2011, Allen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Sergei Samsonov.[1]

On July 1, 2012 Allen signed a three-year contract as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.[2] On November 20, 2014 during the 2014–15 season, the final year of his contract, Allen was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Rene Bourque.[3]

International play edit

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
1999 Winnipeg

Allen represented Canada at the World Junior Championships. He recorded one goal and three points in 7 games to help Canada to a silver medal. His goal was a huge one, the tying goal late in the final against Russia, but Russia would ultimately win in overtime.

Allen was expected to be a leader for Canada at the 2000 World Junior Championships, but was unable to play as he was recovering from injury.

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1995–96Amherstview JetsEOJCHL361161771
1996–97Oshawa GeneralsOHL60246761813426
1997–98Oshawa GeneralsOHL4861319126505518
1998–99Oshawa GeneralsOHL3771522771503326
1999–00Oshawa GeneralsOHL302212300013
1999–00Syracuse CrunchAHL91121120002
2000–01Kansas City BladesIHL755202599
2000–01Vancouver CanucksNHL6000020002
2001–02Manitoba MooseAHL687182512150118
2001–02Vancouver CanucksNHL110006
2002–03Manitoba MooseAHL70114
2002–03Vancouver CanucksNHL485387310002
2003–04Vancouver CanucksNHL742579440002
2004–05Khimik VoskresenskRSL1903334
2005–06Vancouver CanucksNHL7771017115
2006–07Florida PanthersNHL8242125112
2007–08Florida PanthersNHL732141667
2008–09Florida PanthersNHL20110
2009–10Florida PanthersNHL74491399
2010–11Florida PanthersNHL53481263
2010–11Carolina HurricanesNHL1905519
2011–12Carolina HurricanesNHL821131476
2012–13Anaheim DucksNHL410663470112
2013–14Anaheim DucksNHL6801010751310128
2014–15Norfolk AdmiralsAHL20000
2014–15Anaheim DucksNHL60114
2014–15Montreal CanadiensNHL50112
2014–15Hamilton BulldogsAHL3515624
NHL totals721291071368392711236

International edit

YearTeamEventGPGAPtsPIM
1999CanadaWJC71232
Junior totals71232

Awards and honours edit

AwardYear
OHL
First All-Star Team1999

References edit

  1. ^ "Panthers trade Allen to Hurricanes for Samsonov". The Sports Network. 2011-02-28. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  2. ^ "Bryan Allen signs 3-year deal with Anaheim". Twitter. 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  3. ^ "Canadiens acquire Allen in exchange for Bourque". The Sports Network. 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2014-11-20.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Vancouver Canucks first round draft pick
1998
Succeeded by