Bryan Allen (ice hockey)

otherpeople4|Bryan Allen, the hockey player|the hang glider pilot|Bryan Allen (hang glider pilot)Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size=
team=Florida Panthers
former_teams=Vancouver Canucks
league = NHL
position = Defence
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 4
weight_lb = 220
nationality = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1980|8|21|mf=y
birth_place = Kingston, ON, CAN
draft = 4th overall
draft_year = 1998
draft_team = Vancouver Canucks
career_start = 2000

Bryan Allen (born as August 21 1980, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada) is a professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain on the Florida Panthers of the NHL.

Playing career

Allen was the 4th overall choice 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 the age of 18 in his first camp, but was unable to reach an agreement with the team's management and returned to the Oshawa Generals, his junior team. Despite being limited to 37 out of his team's 66 games, his strong play earned him OHL First All-Star Team honours. He was also selected to represent Canada at the 1999 World Junior Championships.

Knee problems, however, would seriously set back his development. 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 league 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's leg, breaking it.

During the 2004 NHL Lockout, Allen suited up for Khimik Voskresensk of the Russian Super League to stay in game shape. Back in Vancouver for the 2005–06 season, with the departures of Marek Malik 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 Florida in exchange for Roberto Luongo and Lukas Krajicek. The 2006–07 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.

Awards

*1999: OHL First All-Star Team

Career statistics

International play

Allen represented Canada at the 1999 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.

ee also

*List of NHL players
*List of NHL seasons
*List of WHL seasons
*List of AHL seasons

External links

*hockeydb|25877|Bryan Allen