Confirmed with Link: Canadiens acquire Jake Allen and a 7th-round pick in 2022 from the Blues in return for a 3rd and 7th

[Miller Time]

The thing is, if Habs wanted Jake Allen (and obviously they did), do they really want to wait it out and risk missing out on him? Because I don't think the Blues are near desperation when it comes to the Pietrangelo contract. And by the time they do reach that point with AP, Allen may already be gone.

And yes, they can turn to a UFA to sign with them once free agency hits. And they can try convincing him by offering more games than a normal back-up goalie would get. But on the flip-side, you don't need to wait to go FA hunting. They acquired a guy who they know can shoulder those number of games they would try convincing a UFA with.

On the subject of frustration/disengagement, Jake Allen proved he is not that guy. He saw Binnington come in the picture and Allen came to terms on him being the back-up. So I think he has a good mindset coming into this.

- when you have the best, and highest paid, goalie in the leauge, I would question a GM who then was so enamored about a specific option for back-up that he had to get him at all cost. Poor roster assessment if that were the case.

- Allen, while a great asset to have as a #2, is not nearly that much better than a large amount of options that were/are available this offseason.

So again, i'm not questioning the quality of player Allen is as a back-up goalie... but, when it comes to the GM role, the job is not to be myopic in evaluating player acquisitions, it's the ability to see the hole landscape and make strong calculated decisions to move the roster towards contention. This move reeks of desperation even though the team we trade with was in a far more desperate place... Terrible timing to not get a great deal in the move.

I would agree that Allen has shown himself to be a great pro... so don't doubt he'll come in motivated and play the best he can. I was simply pointing out that if ones argument is predicated on assuming potential players the habs could have targeted would not be eager to play here, it's hard not to also consider that a risk factor for allen... unlike the previous years with binnington, Allen wasn't staring at 30-year old UFAgency... that's an added mental/emotional factor that could come into play (though not one i'm particularly concerned with, nor would have precluded making a move for him because of).

Bottom line for me is that we were pro-active at the wrong time for a need that, while there, is certainly on the lower end of priority needs... especially in light of the move being wholly predicated on outcomes next season (given Allen's 1- year contract)...

Much better likelihood of the habs/price, with strong moves to address the gaps at W and D, moving into contention, than in shoring up the back-up spot... was not the position to go hyper-aggressive on, shouldve either held out for a much better sweetner (here, take our super expensive back-up AND pay us a decent pick ???)

 

[mariolemieux66]

I dont care bout Allen's sallary. A few years ago we didnt even get near the cap. We didnt make the playoffs because of Niemi's poor play in 2018. Time to have a real goalie duo like the Bruins did the pass few years with Rask Khudobin and now Rask and Halak. Remember we have a shit load of picks and Allen is signed for ONLY 1 season.

Giving a 3rd to a team that is cap stranded for a back up goalie, a position amongst many, you couldn't improve in 8 years, and while you are paying your starting goalie 10.5 mil, doesn't work for me. We should have been the team getting something else back with Allen.

 

[Runner77]

He a cap dump because STL had to get rid of him, he was the #2 and made to much money he doesn’t have to be negative value to be a cap dump... Allen had few good game playing for a pretty good team he is just has much of a reclamation project as some of the other name out there you have UFA and you have a few Goalie on the market some a name made a move for a bigger name it would had a domino effect maybe more name would have been available. How much is 4.35M$ of cap space worth when 4.1 was worth Armia and 6M$ is a first when we had better outlook for the cap and less team in trouble.

A player is a cap dump if he has negative value and where his team is looking to get rid of him. In this instance, the player had positive value.

How many good back ups has Price had the last 8 years? We tried the other way, we couldn't sign anyone of Allen's caliber.

Sure, there is always an opportunity cost but this particular need had to be attended to and the right candidate was available now. He was only going to be added further to a trade and not a UFA signing. A third round pick is not a huge payment, regardless of the situation the Blues were in. Doesn't mean other suitors were not prepared to land Allen on similar terms if Bergevin had bailed.

 

[Habaneros]

Why do I care about this?

help them out AND maybe something comes your way later down the road....

 

[Runner77]

Bergevin ended up with the short straw.

The shorter straw was less likely to break the camel's back.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

- when you have the best, and highest paid, goalie in the leauge, I would question a GM who then was so enamored about a specific option for back-up that he had to get him at all cost. Poor roster assessment if that were the case.

- Allen, while a great asset to have as a #2, is not nearly that much better than a large amount of options that were/are available this offseason.

So again, i'm not questioning the quality of player Allen is as a back-up goalie... but, when it comes to the GM role, the job is not to be myopic in evaluating player acquisitions, it's the ability to see the hole landscape and make strong calculated decisions to move the roster towards contention. This move reeks of desperation even though the team we trade with was in a far more desperate place... Terrible timing to not get a great deal in the move.

I would agree that Allen has shown himself to be a great pro... so don't doubt he'll come in motivated and play the best he can. I was simply pointing out that if ones argument is predicated on assuming potential players the habs could have targeted would not be eager to play here, it's hard not to also consider that a risk factor for allen... unlike the previous years with binnington, Allen wasn't staring at 30-year old UFAgency... that's an added mental/emotional factor that could come into play (though not one i'm particularly concerned with, nor would have precluded making a move for him because of).

Bottom line for me is that we were pro-active at the wrong time for a need that, while there, is certainly on the lower end of priority needs... especially in light of the move being wholly predicated on outcomes next season (given Allen's 1- year contract)...

Much better likelihood of the habs/price, with strong moves to address the gaps at W and D, moving into contention, than in shoring up the back-up spot... was not the position to go hyper-aggressive on, shouldve either held out for a much better sweetner (here, take our super expensive back-up AND pay us a decent pick ???)

Great post miller.

 

[montreal]

He knows Price will be in net for at least 60 games if healthy, which doesn't leave much for Allen in a contract season. How happy will he be?.

the whole point of getting him is so Price doesn't have to play 60 games. If he's solid enough then Price can hopefully be in the 55ish range giving Allen 25-27 starts.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

help them out AND maybe something comes your way later down the road....

Oh, clever.