The Ottawa Senators announced today the club has acquired defenseman Conor Allen from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Patrick Mullen. Allen will be assigned to Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.
A Chicago native, Allen, 25, has appeared in 31 games with Nashville’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, registering six points (one goal, five assists) and 52 penalty minutes this season. At the time of the trade, he led Admirals defensemen while ranking second among Milwaukee players in penalty minutes. Undrafted, Allen was originally signed by the New York Rangers as a collegiate free agent on March 29, 2013, following three seasons at the University of Massachusetts (Hockey East). He made his professional debut with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford that spring before being recalled for the first time midway through the 2013-14 season. He made his NHL debut with New York in a game at Tampa Bay on Dec. 29, 2013.
Signed to a one-year, two-way contract by Nashville on July 2, 2015, Allen has been held scoreless while recording four penalty minutes over seven career NHL contests, all of which have occurred with the Rangers. The Hartford Wolf Pack’s leader in scoring among defensemen last season, Allen has recorded 71 points (18 goals, 53 assists) and 236 penalty minutes over 176 AHL contests with Hartford and Milwaukee.
Mullen was originally acquired by the Senators from Vancouver on March 4, 2014, in exchange for forward Jeff Costello. He recorded 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) and 18 penalty minutes over 36 contests with the B-Sens this season.
Mullen is in his seventh professional season, having posted 16 points (1g-15a) and 18 penalty minutes in 36 American Hockey League games for the Binghamton Senators. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the 5-foot-11, 186-pound blueliner has suited up for 338 AHL games for Manchester, Chicago, Utica and Binghamton since 2009, amassing 148 points (34g-114a) and 178 penalty minutes. Mullen’s best pro season came in 2011-12, when he tied for fourth among AHL defensemen in goals (13) and tied for 11th in blueliner points (41) while playing for the Monarchs.
Undrafted, Mullen spent four seasons at Denver University from 2005-09, recording 81 points (20g-61a) and 148 penalty minutes in 152 NCAA games, winning a WCHA title in 2008 and being named to the conference’s all-academic team in 2009. He is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Mullen.
Allen tallied a goal and five assists in 31 games for the Admirals this season.
