Jake Allen was traded ahead of the deadline, bringing an end to the three-goalie tandem the Canadiens had run with this season. He’s off the New Jersey Devils to help address their long-stranding goalie issues.
Allen was acquired by Montreal in a trade toward the end of the 2019-20 season and quickly signed a two-year extension with one season remaining on his contract. Ahead of last season, the Canadiens made the same decision again, making this the first year of his current deal.
Allen didn’t fare well in the limited game action he received in Montreal this year, posting an .892 save percentage. But that was the same as he managed in 41 starts the previous season. Despite those numbers, a win on Tuesday to snap the Nashville Predators’ eight-game win streak may have convinced the team to add the veteran goaltender.
With Allen out of the picture, the crease now belongs to Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau, who, combined, will take up about the same cap space of Allen’s contract when Montembeault’s nex extension kicks in next season. This move will keep the best two goaltenders on the Canadiens’ roster and provides more cap flexibility to make a big addition in the off-season, even with the salary retention in this trade.
