Montreal Canadiens sign Jake Allen to two year extension

The Montreal Canadiens have signed goaltender Jake Alen to a two-year contract extension with a $3.85 million cap hit.

Allen was heading into the 2022-23 season as a pending unrestricted free agent in the final year of a two year deal with a $2.875 million cap hit, a contract he signed with the Canadiens in the 2020 offseason after they acquired him from the St. Louis Blues for a third and seventh round pick in 2020. His closest contract comparable with his new deal is Chicago Blackhawk’s goalie Petr Mrazek, who has a $3.8 million cap hit.

Allen is coming off a season where he was thrust into the starting role in Montreal, as usual starter Carey Price missed a majority of the 2021-22 season after entering the NHL’s player assistance program, as well as recovering from knee surgery. Allen went 9-20-4 with a .905 save percentage and two shutouts in 35 games in 2021-22, while also dealing with injury problems of his own.

However, Allen’s 2021-22 season isn’t done justice by his standard boxcar stats, as playing behind the last place Montreal Canadiens certainly hurt his numbers. He also finished the year with a 92.19% save percentage at even strength (which ranked 20th among goalies), saved 8.14 even strength goals above expected (ranking 13th), and 12.2 goals above expected (ranking 23rd).

With this signing, the Habs have their goaltending all figured out for the next couple of seasons even if Carey Price doesn’t make a return. Along with Allen’s extension, they also signed Samuel Montembeault to a two year contract with a $1 million cap hit after he played the starter’s role in Allen’s absence, and locked up restricted free agent Cayden Primeau to a three year deal with a $890,000 cap hit after he got into 12 games with all of the injuries in 2021-22.