Canadiens: Jake Allen Trade Marks Return to Solid Backup, Relief for Price
By Scott Cowan
Since then, however, no one has managed to make much of a splash, with Antti Niemi’s impressive 2017-18 season being drowned out by a horrendous 2018-19 season. Former New Jersey Devils starter Keith Kinkaid was expected to play the backup’s role this year but hadn’t played in nearly half a year, and it showed. After being placed on waivers, Kinkaid hit the ultimate of lows when the Laval Rocket reassigned him to the Charlotte Checkers, as his struggles continued in the AHL.
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Charlie Lindgren didn’t perform much better as an emergency backup, as Price has taken most of if not all the starts these past two seasons. While his performance has been fantastic at times, it’s been shaky at others, and at 32 years old, some relief is needed.
KHL signing Vasili Demchenko looks promising but isn’t a sure-fire option, and rookie Cayden Primeau still needs development. With Allen, the Canadiens should finally have their answer and give Price a solid, reliable backup option for the first time in years.
A second-round pick of the Blues in the 2008 NHL entry draft, Allen slowly but surely assumed the starter’s role as the team’s two goalie tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot was slowly fizzled out. By 2016-17, Allen had assumed the starter’s role, playing in 61 games with Carter Hutton as his backup.
However, after a disappointing 2017-18 season, and a 19-17 record in 2018-19, he lost the starting job to Binnington but has performed very well in a reduced role. At his core, Allen is a solid NHL goaltender and still has a few more years left in him at 30 years old. He’s recorded 20 wins or more in a season 4 times and has a career GAA of 2.49.