The New Jersey Devils' season is over, and now they have an important off-season ahead. After losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round, the Devils should be in for a busy summer.
One player who they are facing a big decision with is goaltender Jake Allen. The 34-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and the Devils will now need to decide if they want to sign him to a contract extension or let him walk.
With the way Allen played this season, it is likely that the Devils would love to keep him around. In 31 games this campaign, the 2008 second-round pick posted a .908 save percentage, a 2.66 goals-against average, and four shutouts. Overall, he thrived as the Devils' backup, so it would be understandable if they worked hard to extend him.
However, at the same time, Allen is also in a position to ask for a decent amount of money. Besides him having a strong season, he is also one of the top pending UFA goaltenders in a weak class. That could make things difficult for the Devils in negotiations, especially when noting that star blueliner Luke Hughes is due for a massive raise this off-season.
It will be interesting to see if the Devils and Allen can come to terms on a new contract before free agency is here. He stepped up for the Devils in his role, but time will tell if they can work something out from here.
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