The Colorado Avalanche may have to search elsewhere for a goalie upgrade.
The Colorado Avalanche may have to search elsewhere for a goalie upgrade.
Montreal Canadiens' netminder Jake Allen is currently the highest-ranking goalie on TSNs 2024 Trade Bait List, sitting seventh among all players.
The Colorado Avalanche are in need of a goalie. Alexandar Georgiev has been largely overworked and only so much trust that can be put in recent call up Justus Annunen. It was rumoured Allen may become a sidekick for Georgiev.
But that's not happening, according to TSN Hockey and The Athletic insider Chris Johnston.
It may have been a tall order to begin with anyway, since Allen would've come with a $3.85-million cap hit, and since his contract with the Habs doesn't expire until next season, it was likely the Habs would need to retain up to half of that.
Also, Allen is not having the best season. Of the goaltending options the Avs have, he is arguably the worst. He is only the 45th-best goalie in the NHL for best save percentage, at .895, and doesn't even make the top 50 list for lowest goals-against average.
Other goalie trade candidates - particularly the Calgary Flames' Jacob Markstrom and the Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury, are better.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDc4WrK0iac[/embed]
Markstrom is the best, tied for the 10th-best save percentage at .916, and has the 11th-best goals-against average at only 2.50 per game.
But he's competitive in the trade market and may be a long shot, with heavy rumours he may be going to the New Jersey Devils.
Fleury is the 28th-best for goals-against average, at 2.83 per game, and tied with the New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin at a .902 save percentage.
So, the goalie options are still open.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xoefNYAYcc[/embed]
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