Completely agree that it's a false narrative that the team puts too much pressure on the goaltenders. If anything, the opposite seems to be true---supported by the stats of Hutton and other goaltenders that have played here, the stats of those same goaltenders after they have gone to other teams, stats regarding quality shots allowed by the Blues, etc. As others have stated above, Allen simply was a bad goaltender this year.
I think this creates a big problem with the team as a whole. The players are forced to defend him even when he is playing poorly, the press gets on Allen, the players get mad at the press, and it all cycles downward.
The goaltender is the most important player on the ice every night...and the goaltender must be consistent and drama free in order to provide the foundation for solid team play. If the goalie is inconsistent and, even worse, creates drama with his play, it will suck the team into a hole. We now have had two seasons in a row where the team endured legitimate mid-season drama over Jake and I can't fathom why we would want to risk a third season of that ilk. It destroys team confidence. I think Jake needs a fresh start somewhere else.