Allen began his career playing in various locations in the east, until he joined the North Battleford Beavers of the Northern Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League, with whom he went to the Allan Cup final in 1937, where they lost to the Sudbury Tigers.

[1] After playing four games with the Tigers himself the following year, Allen was then signed by the New York Rangers, and assigned to their New Haven Eagles farm team.

[2] Injuries to the Rangers forced them to call up Allen during the 1938–39 season, taking Lynn Patrick's place in the lineup, and he earned 12 points in 19 games.

[7] Allen missed the 1944–45 NHL season due to the National War Labour Board restrictions on crossing the Canada–US border.

[1] He played one more year in Chicago, and ahead of the 1946-47 NHL season Allen was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, for Paul Bibeault, with both teams holding "right of recall".