The Montreal Canadiens have traded veteran goaltender Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils for a conditional third-round pick, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday.
Friedman reported that games played could turn the pick into a second-round pick.
Allen, 33, was part of a crowded crease this season for rebuilding Montreal, which also has younger goalies Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau.
Allen is 6-12-3 with a 3.65 goals-against average and .892 save percentage this season.
The Fredericton native is in the first year of a two-year, $7.7 million contract. The Canadiens will retain 50 per cent of his salary for the remainder of the contract.
The Devils have been looking to add a goaltender for most of the season, including reportedly being connected to Flames star Jacob Markstrom. Allen will also help fill the gap left by a lower-body injury to Vitek Vanecek, who has been out since early February.
The Canadiens acquired Allen in a trade with the St. Louis Blues in September 2020 and then signed him to a two-year, $5.75-million deal, his first of two pacts inked with Montreal.
Allen was the backup to Jordan Binnington on the Blues’ 2018-19 Stanley Cup-winning team.
Allen is 189-162-41 with a 2.75 GAA and .908 save percentage in 416 career games with the Blues and Canadiens.
The Blues picked Allen in the second round (34th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.
The Montreal Canadiens made a significant move in their goaltending department by trading Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a draft pick. This trade comes as a bit of a surprise to many fans and analysts, as Allen has been a reliable backup for the Canadiens and played a key role in their playoff run last season.
Allen, who was acquired by the Canadiens in a trade with the St. Louis Blues in 2020, quickly became a fan favorite in Montreal with his strong play and veteran presence. However, with Carey Price returning from injury and the emergence of rookie goaltender Cayden Primeau, Allen found himself in a crowded crease and became expendable for the Canadiens.
In exchange for Allen, the Canadiens received a draft pick from the Devils, which could help bolster their prospect pool or be used in future trades. This move also frees up some cap space for the Canadiens, allowing them more flexibility to make additional moves before the trade deadline.
For the Devils, acquiring Allen gives them a proven goaltender to help stabilize their crease and provide some insurance behind starter Mackenzie Blackwood. With the Devils currently sitting near the bottom of the standings, adding a veteran like Allen could help improve their goaltending depth and provide some stability as they look towards the future.
Overall, this trade is a win-win for both teams. The Canadiens get some value in return for Allen and free up cap space, while the Devils add a reliable goaltender to their roster. It will be interesting to see how this trade plays out for both teams in the coming weeks and months.