The Making of a Milestone

The first people to help Jake Allen celebrate 500 NHL games weren't standing at center ice.

They were waiting for him in the Devils locker room.

Before his milestone start against Vancouver on Oct. 10, Allen's wife, Shannon, and their three daughters surprised him with gifts. His teammates arrived wearing commemorative shirts and hats, and before puck drop, the veteran goaltender was sent out for a solo lap.

It's unclear how the solo lap came about, but as the exit line onto the ice pulled up to let Allen take a lap, Evan Rodrigues shouted joyfully 'Oh, yeah!'

For someone who has spent so much of his career quietly going about his business, it was a lot of attention.

There was, after all, plenty to celebrate.

But it was the sight of his girls, sharing in a moment they were now old enough to understand, that seemed to mean the most.

"I think an exciting moment for my girls, which means the most," Allen said afterward.

Now, as the Devils prepare to formally recognize Allen with his 500-game ceremony tonight, the milestone offers a chance to appreciate not just how far he's come, but the kind of person he's been along the way.

It's about perseverance, reinvention and learning to embrace whatever opportunities come his way. It's about the relationships built over more than a decade in the NHL and a reputation that extends well beyond what he accomplishes between the pipes.

And it's about a decision, made just a few years ago, that would ultimately help extend a career he wasn't sure would ever reach this point.

_Five hundred NHL games is different for a goaltender. It's the position's rough equivalent of 1,000 for a skater, complete with a silver stick. And when Allen reached the mark in New Jersey's 4-1 victory over Vancouver, he became just the 86th goaltender in NHL history to do it.

An exclusive club, to say the least.

But perhaps the most remarkable part of the accomplishment is that there was a time when Allen himself wasn't entirely certain he'd ever get there.

"There was a point where I didn't know if I was going to hit it," Allen admitted after his milestone game. "I didn't think that was in reach."

There were, after all, legitimate reasons to wonder.

_Allen's NHL career began with the St. Louis Blues in 2013. Over the years, he's experienced just about every version of a goaltender's job: the highly regarded young prospect, the trusted starter, the backup, the Stanley Cup champion and, eventually, the veteran mentor.

The journey has hardly been linear.

He spent the early years of his career establishing himself in St. Louis, eventually becoming the Blues' No. 1 goaltender. But the arrival of Jordan Binnington changed the landscape, and Allen found himself in a different role as the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

In 2020, he was traded to Montreal.

For the first time, the only NHL organization he'd ever known was behind him. 

"Getting traded from St. Louis, that was a big heartache for me," Allen recalled. "It was tough, it stung."

And his next destination presented another challenge.

_In Montreal, the future Hall of Famer Carey Price was the Canadiens' No. 1 netminder. Allen was joining an organization with one of the best goaltenders of his generation, who wasn't yet finished playing.

It wasn't exactly a straightforward path to another few hundred NHL appearances.

But Allen kept going.

He accepted different responsibilities, embraced different roles and continued finding ways to contribute. Being behind Price was one thing, but the eventiual rotation in Montreal had three goaltenders on the NHL roster. It was a grind. Starts were fewer. 

Then came March 2024.

The Devils came calling.

Only, initially, New Jersey wasn't somewhere Allen envisioned himself.

"It was nothing about the Devils or the city in general," Allen explained at the time.

He simply wasn't sure how he would fit into an organization that, from the outside, appeared to have its goaltending future established.

"I never thought there would be a spot here," he said.

But conversations changed things. Allen was guided through the Devils' vision and, most importantly, where he could fit into it.

And with a young family to consider, the decision wasn't simply about hockey, though.

"You know, the hockey is generally the easy part; it is the life that comes with it," Allen explained.

Ultimately, the opportunity was too good to pass up. After talking with Shannon, Allen agreed to come to New Jersey.

It was a decision that offered something he hadn't necessarily expected at that stage of his career.

A fresh start.

Allen spoke about the move providing a sense of rejuvenation, an opportunity to help a talented young group push toward something bigger while extending his own career.

And as it turned out, New Jersey gave him exactly that.

When Allen became an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025, things had come full circle.

The same player who once wasn't sure about New Jersey now wanted nothing more than to stay.

And he did, signing a five-year contract that he hopes will carry him through the remainder of his NHL career.

"At this point in my career and life, I just thought this was the right fit," Allen said.

He had found an organization he believed in, a group of teammates he enjoyed being around and a situation that worked for his family.

"The setup for my family was great," Allen added. "It just checked a lot of boxes."

And it was here that he reached Game No. 500.

"He’s done a little bit of everything in terms of being a No. 1 guy, being a backup, being a mentor," Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said. 

To Brenden Dillon, who knows a thing or two about reaching a significant NHL milestone after celebrating his own 1,000th game, there's one word that particularly stands out when he thinks about Allen.

Adaptable.

Dillon has known of Allen for seemingly forever. They're the same age, their hockey careers have overlapped for years, and they've now become close friends in New Jersey.

Their families are close, too. They spend time together away from the rink, text throughout the summer, share dinners and sometimes drive to work together.

Dillon knows the player, but perhaps more importantly, he knows the person.

And when asked what has allowed Allen to enjoy such a lengthy NHL career, his answer centered on consistency.

"Same routine, same warmup on the ice," Dillon said. "He's going to do everything he possibly can to give you his best."

But it's Allen's willingness to embrace the changing nature of his career that Dillon particularly admires.

"He's been so adaptable," Dillon said.

For a goaltender, there's often little middle ground. You're the starter or the backup. And transitioning between those roles can be challenging, particularly for someone who has spent years being relied upon as a team's No. 1.

Yet Allen has continually found ways to make it work.

"I think whether it's your confidence or your ego can take a hit," Dillon explained, "he's just found a way to make it a positive."

It's a quality head coach Sheldon Keefe has recognized, too.

"He's the ultimate pro, a tremendous leader and competitor," Keefe said when Allen reached 500 games.

And that leadership has extended to the younger goaltenders coming through the Devils organization.

Nico Daws, for example, has spoken about the way Allen makes younger players feel included and comfortable in the locker room.

"He's been nothing short of amazing," Daws said. "He's such a good human being."

Daws explained that Allen is always willing to offer pointers, share his experience and make sure he's included in the group.

It's the kind of mentorship that isn't always reflected on a scoresheet but can make a lasting difference.

And perhaps that's what stands out most about Allen. His impact isn't always measured in the obvious ways. Sometimes it's a conversation with a younger teammate, a small gesture or simply making someone feel like they belong.

For those around him, it's just who Jake is.

Jake has never burned a bridge in his life.

No matter the circumstances, no matter how difficult things became or how frustrated he might have been, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who has nothing but words of appreciation for Allen. 

When I brought that observation up to Dillon, he immediately understood.

"He's just a good human being," Dillon said.

He went on to explain that Allen is the kind of person he'd point anyone toward as an example of how to conduct themselves professionally, whether in hockey or any other line of work.

And then, almost jokingly, Dillon tried to find something wrong with his teammate.

Bad with his money? Nope. Bad driver? Not that either.

Even his sense of style passed the test.

"He's got good style," Dillon conceded.

Eventually, Dillon suggested that perhaps Allen was becoming a little set in his ways compared to the younger players.

Even he knew it was a reach.

"We're pulling at straws," Dillon laughed.

And in a league where players spend years moving between teams, competing for jobs and navigating the pressures of professional sports, that's quite the reputation to have earned.

Then there's the role Allen holds that matters most.

_Dad.

Allen and Shannon are raising three daughters who have grown up watching their father build an NHL career, even if they haven't always been old enough to fully appreciate everything that comes with it.

There have been moves, new cities, long seasons and plenty of time spent apart.

But as they've grown older, so has their understanding of what their father does, how hard he's worked and what moments like these represent.

For Dillon, who has gotten to know the entire Allen family, having the girls involved in the celebration was something he knew would mean a great deal.

"They definitely know what's going on," Dillon said ahead of the milestone. "They're going to be having a great night."

And they did.

Perhaps years from now, the girls won't remember every save their father made, every team he played for or every game he won.

But there will be photographs, memories and a silver stick to remind them of the day their dad was celebrated for something remarkable.

Something that, not all that long ago, even he wasn't certain would happen.

"It's been a long journey," Allen reflected after Game 500. "Some great moments, some low moments, but that makes it all worthwhile."

And when he looked back on the decision that ultimately helped him reach this point, there was no doubt about how he felt.

"Coming to (New Jersey) was the best thing I did."

When Allen is recognized in front of the New Jersey crowd, the silver stick will represent hundreds of games, years of dedication and countless moments of perseverance.

But for those who know him best, it will represent something else, too.

A kid from New Brunswick who never stopped chasing his dream. A teammate others could always count on. A friend who has treated people well, regardless of circumstance.

And a husband and father whose greatest supporters have been along for the ride.

Five hundred games is an extraordinary achievement.

But perhaps the greatest measure of Jake Allen's career isn't simply how long he's played.

It's the person he's remained through all of it.

And that's a legacy worth celebrating.