Montreal Canadiens sign Jake Allen to two-year contract extension

The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed goaltender Jake Allen to a two-year contract extension.

The extension carries an annual average value of $3.85 million and continues until the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. The Canadiens starting netminder had been slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season upon the conclusion of his existing two-year $2.875 million AAV contract.

Originally acquired in 2020 as a veteran backup for Carey Price, Allen became the de facto starter last season due to Price’s injuries. The 32-year-old played 35 games with the Canadiens in 2021-22, posting a 3.30 GAA and a .905 save percentage with two shutouts. Overall, the Fredericton, New Brunswick native has a career 168-126-35 record, with a 2.60 GAA and .911 save percentage (along with 23 shutouts) in 353 NHL career games with the Blues and Canadiens.

Allen has been a source of leadership and stability since his arrival. The move perhaps indicates that the Canadiens view Allen as the goalie to guide them through any short-term rebuild process, as the extension decreases the chance that Allen will be dealt at this year’s trade deadline. It is also a signal that the Canadiens will not rush Cayden Primeau to the NHL net, since the Canadiens now have four netminders under contract for next season: Allen, Samuel Montembeault ($1 million AAV), Cayden Primeau ($0.89 million AAV), and Price ($10.5 million AAV).