Bobby Allen (ice hockey)
A defenseman's journey from collegiate stardom at Boston College to the NHL grind with Edmonton and Boston.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American ice hockey player·Birthday: November 14·Generation X
Biography
Bobby Allen's hockey path is a classic tale of the dedicated journeyman. Growing up in Hull, Massachusetts, he honed his game locally before becoming a defensive stalwart for Boston College, where he captained the team to an NCAA championship in 2001. Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers, his professional career was defined by perseverance. Allen's style was that of a reliable, stay-at-home defenseman—smart, positional, and unfailingly tough. His NHL tenure included stints with the Oilers and the Boston Bruins, though much of his pro life was spent in the American Hockey League, where he was a consistent leader on the blue line. After hanging up his skates, he transitioned seamlessly into coaching, bringing his detailed understanding of defensive play to the next generation of players.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Bobby was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NCAA National Championship as captain of the Boston College Eagles in 2001.
- Played 116 regular-season games in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins.
- Represented the United States at the 2001 World Championships.
- Served as an assistant coach for the New York Islanders and Boston College after his playing career.
Did You Know?
He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top NCAA men's ice hockey player, in 2001.
Allen and his Boston College teammate Brian Gionta were both drafted in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
He played for the AHL's Providence Bruins for parts of five seasons.
His father, Bob Allen, was also a professional hockey player in the WHA.
“The puck has to go north, and you have to be hard to play against.”
