Reaction: Devils Acquire Goalie Jake Allen – Will He Move the Needle?

It was well-known and completely justified that the New Jersey Devils were in the market for a veteran goaltender. 

Mere hours before the NHL’s trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET, the Devils got their man in now-former-Montreal-Canadiens netminder Jake Allen. The trade sends a conditional third-round draft pick that could become a second-rounder, based on the number of games Allen plays from New Jersey to Montreal, according to multiple reports.

The deal gives the Devils a solid shot at rebounding from a subpar season thus far and sets them up nicely to be a playoff underdog in the battle for a Stanley Cup.

The 33-year-old Allen still has another season under contract at a $3.85-million cap hit, but Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald clearly likes Allen enough to commit to him beyond this season. Allen has posted subpar numbers – including a 3.65 goals-against average and .892 SP – this year, but you have to factor in the fact that the Habs have not given him very much support. When Allen was a member of the St. Louis Blues, his individual stats were much better, and he’s going to a Devils team that is desperate to atone for their struggles this year, so Allen’s performance should be significantly better.

With the Allen trade and the deal that sent veteran winger Tyler Toffoli to Winnipeg, the Devils have made big changes to their roster. But let’s be honest – they needed to shake up the chemistry of this roster, as the season so far has demonstrated New Jersey needed major changes. New Jersey may not be done making moves, but even if they are, you can say with confidence they’re a better team than they were this morning.

Fitzgerald knew he couldn’t stand pat with this lineup, and he made moves – including the firing of coach Lindy Ruff – to change the composition of the Devils in a notable way. Time will tell if he made the right moves, but in the moment, Fitzgerald deserves praise for his willingness to alter his roster. The status quo shouldn’t have been an option for New Jersey, and the fact they’re now significantly different is a reflection of the high expectations management has for the team.