Let’s stop thinking that Jake Allen can be traded by March 8

I have a quick question for you in connection with the Habs on this Monday morning: if you were another NHL team, would you pick up Jake Allen? No? Yes, you would.

At $3.85 million a year for another 16.5 months, it’s clear that Allen has a tough contract to trade. Add to that the fact that he’s not playing well, and you’ve got a recipe for a hard-to-play-for goalie.

Yesterday, my colleague Raph Simard talked about how scared he was every time he saw a puck coming his way, and let’s just say he can’t be the only one feeling that way.

He may be a good mentor, and I’ve long defended his place in Montreal, but the more time goes by, the harder it is to believe that this guy still has a business in town.

If you forget his excellent October (in which he played in four of the Habs’ nine games, earning three wins and the Habs’ Player of the Month award), you can see that it’s more than difficult.

He’s lost his #1 spot and has just two wins(two!) in three and a half months. Add to that his two overtime losses, and the Habs have just four points out of a possible 28 in the standings since November 2.

Needless to say, that’s not good enough. For a veteran NHL goalie, it’s not enough.

So I’m back to my original point: if an NHL GM wants to go after a goalie, he won’t turn to Allen. The fact that he’s not at the end of his contract works against him.

And among goalies who aren’t “rental” as such, he’s not a goalie of choice either, let’s say.

Add to this the fact that he can use his partial no-trade clause (seven clubs this year, three next year) to arrange to stay in Montreal if he wants, and you’ve got an ideal recipe for continuing the ménage à trois.

Jonathan Bernier(JdeM) wrote: Allen will be hard to trade.

This morning, on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie wondered if the Anaheim Ducks could possibly go after the goaltender if John Gibson were to be traded. And that doesn’t mean it would be by March 8, of course.

It’s not a sure thing, though. But it’s intriguing to hear a journalist like him raise the possibility.

At this point, I think we simply have to accept the fact that Cayden Primeau deserves to play more, and that there’s no point in playing the veteran to try and boost his value.

Firstly, it doesn’t work. And even if he did play well, he’s so far gone that even with a salary holdback, I can’t see any club taking him in a month’s time.

Because yes, Cayden Primeau deserves to play more often. He’s only had one start in over a month, and he needs to play hockey to continue to progress as an NHL player.

Arpon Basu(The Athletic) mentioned that the young goalie doesn’t have his head in Laval or any other NHL club… but the Habs need to play him.

In gusto

– Listen now.

– Michael McLeod is obviously on vacation. [HF]

– Ahh, Montreal hot dogs…

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