FEATURE STORY : JAKE ALLEN
> top goalie honours . In the 2009-2010 season , he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as the top goaltender in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as well as CHL Goaltender of the Year award . He remembers realising that if he wanted to make a life in hockey , he would need to go to work .
“ That ’ s when it sort of opened my eyes and I had to put a stake into it ,” said Jake . “ I think that ’ s similar to investing in yourself in business . There are always little details that you invest in yourself to achieve those goals .”
Becoming successful is one thing . Staying that way is another . Murph knew from the outset that as an insurance adjuster , he was already one down in most people ’ s books . The first step for him was convincing people he was trustworthy . The second was being trustworthy .
“ If I thought there was the slightest suspicion that they thought I was working just for the insurance company , I ’ d spend some time [ showing them ]
that I was working for them as well as the insurance company . And I ’ d convince them to trust me .”
Jake also lives in a world built on results and reputation . He signed a four-year contract over the summer that will pay him $ 17.4 million .
A FORTUNATE POSITION TO BE IN , FOR SURE , BUT NOT A GUARANTEED ONE .
For a goaltender , there is nowhere to hide . No fourth line to play on if your play slips . Two goaltenders per team and only one net .
“ There are so many good young players that your security is never secure . You know , your job is always on the line and a contract is great , but at the end of the day , if you ’ re not performing , you ’ re not going to play . And that ’ s where all the work and the details come into play and keep yourself sharp .”
Separated by 2,500 kilometres of highway , Jake and his grandfather still stay in touch . When they talk , it ’ s mostly about news from home and family . Jake and his girlfriend , Shannon , have begun their own family . Their daughter , Lennon , was born in January . Jake is quick to acknowledge that making millions playing hockey has afforded him a fantastic life . But it ’ s also an itinerant life , and being far from home is never easy .
“ It ’ s tough being this far away from [ our families ]. Only a few people have gotten to meet Lennon so far , and we just want to show off how special she is ,” said Jake . “ I ’ m very fortunate to play in the NHL , and I have a great life and I ’ m really lucky . But on the other end of the spectrum , too , there ’ s those things like family and your hometown that you
26 | SPRING 2017