With the recent signing of Sam Montembeault to a three-year contract extension, all eyes have been on Jake Allen. The 33-year-old is the most sought-after trade candidate among the Montreal Canadiens’ three goaltenders, and there has been some interest. It’s understandable, given that the Fredericton native is a capable 1B goaltender who would provide more stability to teams in need of assistance in the net. He has been consistent in that regard throughout his 11-year career, so he has value.
There’s a new development on the Allen front, as Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that Allen has two new potential suitors (from INSIDER TRADING: GM Brad Treliving never stops looking for ways to improve the Leafs’ defensive core, Ottawa Sun, 12/5/2023). Let’s go over each of these teams and why they could use him now.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres, according to Garrrioch, “have been looking to add a goalie” and “may have sniffed around Allen.” Given the Sabres’ current situation between the pipes, it makes sense.
The expectation heading into the season was that Devon Levi would easily take over as the Sabres’ starter. After completing a dominant collegiate career at Northeastern University, the 21-year-old joined Buffalo for the remainder of the 2022-23 season and looked fantastic. However, he struggled this season, going 3-4-1 with a.876 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.73 goals-against average (GAA) before being demoted to the American Hockey League (AHL). He was recently recalled, however.
Eric Comrie has been even worse for the Sabres, going 1-5-0 with a 4.01 GAA and a.861 SV%. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been their lone bright spot in goal, but given how their other goalies have been performing, bringing in a veteran like Allen for support could be a good idea.
The Sabres have fallen rapidly in the standings, having lost seven of their last ten games. As a result, it stands to reason that they are looking for another goalie. On paper, Allen appears to be a good fit, but they are not the only team looking for a new player.
Seattle Kraken
Following an excellent second season in the NHL, the Seattle Kraken entered this season expecting to be Western Conference contenders. Unfortunately for them, they have been far from that, with an 8-12-6 record and three wins in their last ten games. It’s been a truly disappointing season for them, and their goaltending has been a major contributor to their struggles. As a result, it’s not surprising to hear from Garrioch that the Kraken have inquired about the Canadiens’ goaltending situation. Allen would be their best option with Montembeault out.
This season, the Kraken’s goaltending has been atrocious. In 15 games, Philipp Grubauer has a 5-8-1 record, a.883 SV%, and a 3.35 GAA. Joey Daccord has been slightly better, but not outstanding, with a 2.92 GAA and.898 SV% in a career-high 13 games. The signing of Chris Driedger has also not worked out, as he is currently in the AHL and has not played in the NHL since 2021-22. As a result, the Kraken should be heavily scouring the goalie trade market, and Allen should be on their radar.
If the Kraken are to turn their season around, they must act quickly, and improving their goaltending will help them do so. Allen would provide some stability, and he is under contract until the end of next season, so he makes sense as a possible target.
These are just two of the most recent teams to be linked to Allen, and it’s not surprising that more are keeping an eye on him. We’ll have to wait and see if Allen ends up joining the Sabres or the Kraken before the deadline.
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