Speculation: The $4.5M question: How does the Allen situation get resolved?

[Stealth JD]

How do you see the next 8 months unfolding for Armstrong and Jake Allen?

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[Blueston]

Retain to dump him

 

[GoldenSeal]

Retain and package with a roster player to fill a need.

Plenty of teams have an issue at goal and have assets that can help us now, it's why I feel the Flyers will win at the TDL due to their massive roster of competent backup netminding sans one who will remain nameless

 

[TheDizee]

Trade him to NJ or EDM

 

[ItsOnlytheRiver]

I don’t think the Blues will retain and I don’t think they’ll pay assets to ship him off. If Binnington finishes the season still looking like starter material I think we will go into the season with both which scares me to death.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I think he's back

 

[Ted Hoffman]

In order of likelihood:

1. He's back in 2019-20 on the "second chance" ticket of some form.
2. He's packaged with other assets to get some other team to take him. [Could include another "blockbuster" deal a la ROR and Buffalo.]


3. 1-for-1 hockey trade, where we take someone else's shitty contract








4. 1-for-1 hockey trade, where someone else actually wants him.

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[go down a long way]
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5. Waivers
6. Buyout

 

[BlueDream]

Some type of trade where we likely add an asset to him in exchange for another player.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Well Edmonton moved Talbot to Philly for Stolarz. For some reason I have a feeling that if we find a taker for Jake, we end up bringing back Moose.

 

[DoubleK81]

Armstrong has hitched his wagon to Allen, and I don't see that changing. As much as I dislike it, he will be here through the end of his current contract. No buyout, no waivers, and not retainer to trade him. I also wouldn't be the least bit shocked to see Allen given the shot at #1 again, as much as I REALLY would hate to see it.

 

[Ranksu]

I hope Allen is dealt and traded away. He has given change so many time that we have lost count of it. Every single back-up goaltender has win him instead of Johnson.

Allen's contract will be problematic. I don't see teams want to take him if they don't get blue chip from it or Blues retain salary + decent prospect or youngish bottom 6 forward/youngish promising dmen.

Maybe something like Allen (25% salaray retain) + Sundqvist / Mikkola/Walman + mid pick or Allen no salary retain + Thomas/Kyrou

Army has really problematic situation with Allen.

 

[Frenzy31]

Allen will be our back up next year. He can function in a tandem. I really want him gone and I think it would be best for him and his career, but I am not sure how that happens.

Other then that, I think buyout. I don’t see a team picking him up, and hoping he turns it around. And I don’t see us sending off an asset.

 

[Edgar Carrow]

He's back next year. Binnington starts the year poorly. Allen takes over and plays great for the first two months. Binnington is traded. Allen is re-signed until 2031 and goes on to lose the starting position to Darren Pang.

 

[STL BLUES]

I’m for all the above. But, not for giving up our youth asset(s) as that will only compound the damage Jake’s contract has caused.

He’s very weak as a backup if you look at his last Nashville game. If another team has a Martin Brodeur type personality that would work with him, then they could get a decent goalie. Brodeur had Jake figured out.

Doubtful we deal with him until the summer.

 

[PiggySmalls]

I've mentioned before, there are clubs out there that have next to nothing when it comes to goalie depth. Goalie market is always a crazy one. I still think he ends up in Columbus if Jackets do not re-sign Bob.

 

[Alklha]

It's difficult to see a hockey trade. We moved problem contracts before in this way, but it's much easier to do that when we were moving futures in those deals and they were cap neutral. I'd be surprised if it was another offseason of moving picks and prospects. It's also easier for acquiring teams to absorb a forward onto their roster than a goalie. Unless we're talking about something like Allen & Blais for Darling & Fleury.

A buyout shouldn't need to be on the table. Trading him with 50% retention is cheaper and doesn't carry the 4 years of dead cap space.

Retaining should make him moveable. Backup goalies have been getting $2.5m on multi-year deals. If the Flyers extend Talbot then we'll get a good idea of what teams are willing to pay. There isn't a single logical reason not to consider retaining.

The only reason to consider having Allen on the roster next season is if we can't move him and we have acquired a legitimate #1 starter. If we haven't acquired a starter, Allen shouldn't be viewed as a backup. We can't keep going into seasons with massive question marks in net and expecting to compete.

 

[sfvega]

I've mentioned before, there are clubs out there that have next to nothing when it comes to goalie depth. Goalie market is always a crazy one. I still think he ends up in Columbus if Jackets do not re-sign Bob.

Yeah but teams probably say that about us with Jake. He doesn't really solve anyone's problems.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I see 3 possible outcomes:

1- Allen continues to flounder posting a sub .900 sv% in his remaining games this season. He stays a Blue because no one will trade for him.

2- Allen plays average and posts a .905-.910 sv% to finish the season. A team takes a flyer on him hoping to catch some magic or run a tandem with him. The deal would probably be similar to the Talbot for Stolarz deal.

3- Allen plays well as a backup, posting a >.915 sv% to finish out the season. He stays a Blue and is kept as a backup/tandem goalie.

I don't think he'll find that middle ground, so I voted that he'll be back

 

[Coach Nate]

I'll trade you Justin Abdelkader for him right now. One for one.


I cant get that man of my team fast enough

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I remember when Abdelkader was supposed to be yet another top-6 goal-scoring stud for the Red Wings. [There is a LONG list of guys who came up through the Red Wings organization, got that kind of hype, and never came close.]

I also remember when Danny DeKeyser was going to be a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman. 5 full seasons later, and he's got as many Norris Trophy votes as I do - and he'll probably end his career with the same number I ended mine with.

 

[carter333167]

He's an extremely expensive back-up goalie.

 

[DoubleK81]

Did someone say backup?

 

[Honeycutt]

As long as binnington does not get more than 2.5 mill I am ok with keeping jake. 7.0 mill for the goaltending position is under 10% of total cap, and how that 7 mill is dispersed makes no difference. He can play in a backup roll for two years.. I just don t want to lose a high prospect or pick to move jake and get an unknown backup.