George Allen

George Allen was a regular NHL left winger in the World War II era.

A rare New Brunswicker in the NHL, Allen actually made his name as an amateur on the prairies. He was a strong scorer with the North Battleford Beavers and led the team to Allan Cup finals in 1937. The Beavers ultimately came up short in the final against Sudbury Tigers.

If you can't beat 'em, join em. The next season Allen moved to Sudbury to play for the Tigers, but it turned out to be very brief. After just 4 games the New York Rangers offered Allen a contract. He turned pro in the Rangers farm system for the next two seasons.

Allen's big break came in the 1938-39 season when he was called up from the minor leagues to replace the injured Lynn Patrick. Allen made an immediate impression by setting a team record with three points in his first NHL game - two goals and an assist. He finished the season with six goals and twelve points in nineteen games and he participated in seven Stanley Cup playoff games.

Despite his solid debut the Rangers sold off Allen's rights to the Chicago Black Hawks in the summer of 1939. That was a great move for Allen and the Hawks, as Allen became a regular with the Hawks for the next several seasons. He played through 1946, though he missed the 1944-45 season due to "World War II travel restrictions" as he was not able to cross the border. This also affected Chicago's Bill Thoms and Doug Bentley, hurting the Hawks fortunes that season significantly.

Allen returned but was off to Montreal by the 1946-47 season. He would disappear to the minor leagues.

George's brother Viv - better known as "Squee" - also played in the NHL briefly. Both returned to the prairies after hockey to work on their farm.