Those are all opinions. I just just as easily say all you have to do is shoot high on Ells and he will give up lots of goals.
Attempting to reduce them to opinions doesn't change the fact that Allen's known as well for short side goals and flopping around out of position under pressure as he is for his puck handling and rebound control.
Consistently does poorly in the playoffs? He has played 6 total playoff games. And in those 6 games he had almost a 1 goal GAA better than Ells and just about the same SV%. The difference was the Blues were scoring about 2 less goals per game for him.
Yes, consistently, at every level of his career, he has turned in subpar to (at most) adequate performances in the playoffs. When the pressure goes up, Jake's stats go down.
Allen has started 8 career playoff games and played in 11 total notching a .902 SV% and a 2.29 GAA. Adequate GAA, subpar SV%.
Allen has never had a GAA of almost 1 GAA better in the playoffs or the regular season. I'm not sure where you find these Allen vs. Elliott stats you claim, but they're inaccurate. The only playoffs Allen had better stats than Elliott was the Minnesota series, which Allen was average in. Allen started all 6 games and Elliott came in for relief in 1 game. Considering Elliott played less than 1 game, it's rather insignificant to compare the stats. It wasn't Allen's fault we lost that series, with more scoring, we might have won it, but not being bad =/= being good. Allen turned in average numbers, which matched his play.
Ells had never played more than 46 games in a season and you want him to be a starter but 44 is too low? here is the difference, Allen has had ONE season where he had a bad injury where he was to be the starter, Ells has always been a backup playing lesser teams and STILL could not be consistent enough to earn a starting gig.
I think Elliott deserves a shot as a starter, considering he's bested Allen consistently the past 3 years. Neither guy stole the position and forced Hitchcock's hand, but Elliott certainly has played better.
Again, can you post the stats proving Elliott played the "lesser teams" and offer some explanation as to how a guy playing 40+ games a year (half the season) is "just a back up"?
The same inconsistency knock goes against Allen. It's like reading Dizee's posts all over again where you crucify one guy for something and ignore it for the other.
You know exactly what you get with Ells. A fan favorite career backup that wasn't expected to do much but had one amazing half of a season. He's probably the best backup in the NHL. However he is very inconsistent. Allen has been very consistent and beats quality teams on a regular basis. In fact, he was the first goalie since Hitch was coach to beat CHI in CHI the season before last. Ells has always struggled against good teams until the last half of this season.
How is Elliott more inconsistent than Allen, but has a better SV%, GAA, more quality starts, more shutouts, more games won, and better playoff stats?
The Chicago statement you keep repeating is just a random stat that has more to do with the team than Jake.
I would take Allen over Ells every single day of the week because Ells has not proven to be anything more than a good backup. Allen has proven that he can consistently beat the top teams as a #1. Lets see him do it without getting injured. I don't remember Elliott ever keeping the team in a playoff spot for half a season while the Blues had a NEGATIVE goal differential. Allen did that last season. How soon we forget.
Elliott has proven so far he's a better choice in net. Allen hasn't proven anything other than he can't steal a job from Elliott. The team didn't decide he was the better choice, Elliott requested to leave and Allen became #1 by default, not based on his play.
Question remains if either can be a starter, much less a good starter in this league. But there's no doubt Elliott earned a chance the Blues wouldn't give him. There's also no doubt the term "career back up" is inaccurate and only intended to muddy the fact that Elliott outplayed Allen.
Time will tell if Allen can do anything more than put in a good regular season or if we're just buying time until Husso or someone else is ready.
