The New Jersey Devils are entering the off-season with several pending free agents. Goaltender Jake Allen is undoubtedly among their most notable ones, as the veteran had a strong 2024-25 season with the Metropolitan Division club.
In 31 games with the Devils this season, Allen posted a .906 save percentage, a 2.66 goals-against average, and four shutouts. With numbers like these, he proved to be an excellent backup goaltender for the Devils in 2024-25. He also notably stepped up well when Jacob Markstrom was injured in the middle of the campaign.
Now, the Devils are facing a decision with Allen. Keeping the pending unrestricted free agent around would certainly be nice, but it will ultimately come down to cost. Keep in mind, the Devils are entering the summer with limited cap space and have multiple other players due for their next contracts, including pending restricted free agent Luke Hughes.
If the Devils cannot come to terms on a new contract with Allen and he becomes a free agent on July 1, he should generate a good amount of interest on the market. This year's free agency class, when it comes to goaltending, is not the strongest, and Allen is standing out as the top potential option. This is especially so when noting that the Carolina Hurricanes recently signed goalie Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract extension.
If Allen hits the market, teams looking for help between the pipes will likely have him on their radar. It will be interesting to see if the Devils can get him signed to a new deal before July 1 from here.
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