Canadiens trade goaltender Jake Allen to Devils for draft pick
Posted March 8, 2024 2:09 pm.
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.
