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Jake Allen: no offers because of salary cap

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Jake Allen: no offers because of salary cap

Have I ever told you that what happens with the Habs doesn’t necessarily interest the English-Canadian media?

Mind you, I’m not saying this systematically as an attack on Quebec. After all, aside from the Maple Leafs, let’s just say that media coverage of other Canadian teams is sometimes… inadequate.

That’s the way it goes.

For example, Sportsnet recently reported that the Habs expected Juraj Slafkovsky to lose his role on the first line, and didn’t know that the Habs weren’t in the midst of a four-game road losing streak before yesterday’s game.

Then, at TSN, the astonishment of seeing a star player booed in Montreal (Connor McDavid, for example) created astonishment in me, precisely.

It’s also worth mentioning that Corey Pronman’s comments (not based in Quebec) on the strengths of some of the Habs’ prospects/youngsters make you wonder if he’s talking about the same guys we know…

And now we’ve added another layer: Chris Johnston, now with The Athletic and based in Toronto, has penned a piece on the trade deadline.

So far, nothing to write home about.

That said, reading what he had to say about Jake Allen, who is #5 on his trade board rankings ahead of the deadline, one gets the impression that he hasn’t exactly seen all of Jake Allen’s games this year.

Everyone is currently aware that Kent Hughes is not in a position to trade Jake Allen, who is Montreal’s surplus goaltender, due to his performance and contract.

But in light of Johnston’s text, it seems that he doesn’t see the game through the same glasses as the rest of us.

First, we see that in the “player type” category of the goalie profile, it says that he’s an established 1B goalie. Remember that, at the moment, he’s the Habs’ #3 goalie.

We read that the situation of the three goalies will have to be resolved as if it were urgent. But what we really understand, as time goes by, is that Kent Hughes is waiting for his price to move. And he hasn’t got his price. Otherwise, Allen would be out.

We also read that Jake Allen is the Habs goalie who has proven the most over the course of his career, with over 400 NHL games, not counting the playoffs. Remember that in 2019 and 2021, he wasn’t his team’s #1 playoff goalie… but hey.

And then, this:

He’s also under contract for another season after this one, which could present an added attraction for those looking for more than a quick fix. – Chris Johnston

Need I remind you that the fact that he’s not a rental player works against the Habs? Kent Hughes said it best: a goalie at the end of his contract is more valuable.

He said it in reference to Samuel Montembeault, but it applies to Allen.

Johnston, who seems to really like what he sees in Jake Allen, didn’t talk about potentially withholding salary. He simply mentioned how the goalie’s seven-team no-trade clause can complicate matters, as he chose to stay in Montreal via his new contract.

Then it went like this:

In a league with many uncertain situations in front of the net, he has the potential to be a stabilizing element that many top teams will keep an eye on. – Chris Johnston

Is it just me, or are we talking about the same goalie? Is it me or does it sound like he’s talking about Samuel Montembeault and not Jake Allen? After all, the latter is having a tough season, and while I think teams are calling for him, he’s not as attractive as he’s been portrayed here.

You know it, I know it, the Habs know it, the other teams know it…

(Credit: ESPN)

Did Johnston even look at Allen’s last game, where he looked great against the Avalanche, and think he was having a good season? Worse still, did he even look at the Maritime netminder’s last game stats to draw his conclusions?

If so, it’s a big recency bias.

Allen’s big advantage is that he’s a veteran goalie who brings a lot of leadership to the room. His team-mates love him, and in a young team, that’s something that has to be taken into account.

But hey. If the Habs were covered more rigorously in the ROC, maybe this is the kind of info he’d have in his hands and could have added to his text…


In brief

– As my colleague Maxime Truman mentioned this week, BPM Sports is launching a new project.

– Two years already…

– The Habs are making progress and the youngsters are doing well.

– Nice move by Juraj Slafkovsky.

– Well done.

– He never looked back.

– Makes sense.

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