Jake Allen Trade on the Horizon? A Major Statement has Changed the Plans of the Canadiens
In Kent Hughes's latest big trade, the Canadien got their hands on another goaltender signed with an NHL contract with Casey DeSmith.
However, this situation poses a serious problem for the organization, as it would be downright senseless to start the year with three goaltenders, in addition to Cayden Primeau, who would have to go through waivers if he's demoted to Laval.
Managing usage with three goaltenders is very complex. Moreover, this surplus blocks the possibility of having an extra forward or defenseman in the 23-player roster allowed by the league.
If Samuel Montembeault's situation is clear and his position is secured in Montreal, the same cannot be said for Jake Allen and DeSmith.
All signs point to one of the two veterans having to leave the team in the coming weeks to make room for the other. Since they can both support Monty, Hughes's plan is possibly to trade the goalie with the most value between the two.
In this light, a recent statement from Georges Laraque reveals a huge problem for the Canadien. According to him, Allen is not of interest to anyone across the National League. Let's just say it greatly complicates the task for the Tricolore's General Manager.
It's true that his $3.85 million contract for two more seasons must put off several teams. This is possibly the worst signing made by Hughes since he took office.
Unfortunately, the 33-year-old netminder's statistics are far from incredible, and his performances are very inconsistent. He finished the last campaign with an average of 3.55 and a save percentage of 0.891. Let's just say that does not help boost his value on the market.
I pretty much agree with Laraque on this point. This anticipated goaltender trade may go through DeSmith. The latter is two years younger, being 31 years old, and he costs only $1.8 million with a contract that ends next summer. It's a far less risky investment than Allen for much more solid performances in recent years.
Do you think Jake Allen is still worth anything in the NHL right now?
| POLL | ||
Do you think Jake Allen is still worth something in the NHL right now? | ||
| A pick in the second round pick | 54 | 37.2 % |
| A pick of third round pick | 47 | 32.4 % |
| A pick in foruth to seventh round pick | 28 | 19.3 % |
| You have to pay to trade him | 16 | 11 % |
| List of polls | ||
