Canadiens: January Trade Deadline Power Rankings

3. Jake Allen

With the emergence of Cayden Primeau as a respectable NHL goalie and a need to eventually get back to a two-goaltender system, it feels increasingly likely that Jake Allen could be traded. Samuel Montembeault has emerged as a starter and is locked in, having signed an extension earlier this season. And the Canadiens clearly still want to keep Primeau, having avoided putting him on waivers all season.

And now, several teams are in need of help at the goaltender position across the NHL. Some are in desperate need of an upgrade, which might make less sense for Allen, but others just need quality depth, which Allen could certainly provide. Still, Hughes appears to be playing this one close to the vest. Will he eventually pounce?

I say yes, but not until the iron is hottest, which may be closer to the deadline. Hughes clearly has a price, and he’s not willing to budge from it. And to be fair, the goalie market has felt hot all season and yet no one has made a move yet. Perhaps patience will pay off for Hughes, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Allen slots down a spot, after falling at number two on the initial rankings. While I suspect he may be traded, I’ve felt this way for a while, and nothing has been done since. That said, I think Allen wouldn't mind a change of scenery seeing as his playing time has been cut from what it was in each of the last two seasons. But I’m not certain Allen will fetch a massive return the way other players could. For those reasons, he falls at number three in the rankings.