Jeff Penner was born on April 13, 1987 in Steinbach, Manitoba. A standout defenseman for the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Penner also spent a season at the University of Alaska Anchorage before signing with the Boston Bruins in 2007.
Penner joined the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence in 2008 and performed well at both ends of the ice. For his efforts he was rewarded with his first call to the NHL. He appeared in two games for Boston during the 2009-10 season, failing to register a point.
Penner's time with the Bruins would come to an end at the NHL trade deadline. He was shipped to the Minnesota Wild along with Mikko Lehtonen in exchange for goaltender Anton Khudobin.
