New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen reveals if there is a certain number of games he would like to start next season.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen reveals if there is a certain number of games he would like to start next season.
New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald never gave up on acquiring goaltender Jake Allen.
In March, Fitzgerald revealed that New Jersey had inquired about Allen before the NHL Trade Deadline, but the Montreal Canadiens had told him they were on the netminder's no-trade list.
The reason for that?
"It was nothing about the Devils or the city in general," Allen said. "It was situations that I did not know if I could influence my future. I thought (New Jersey) had goalies already signed here long-term."
Simply put, the 33-year-old did not think there was an opportunity to play in Newark, but things changed.
Entering the 2024-25 season, Allen will make up half of the Devils goaltending tandem.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muE_Diu98kk[/embed]
Who his partner will be remains an unknown, at least for now.
"It's talking to the market and getting the pulse of where people are at with their goaltenders and what they want to do," Fitzgerald said to The Athletic. "When you have good goaltending, it's tough to let go, and it's tough to pry out of people. But there are situations … I've got the pulse of what's going on. There are a few guys that I'm in on." (from 'NHL rumblings: Devils goalie search, Zegras, Marner, Necas, Gibson, Saros and more from the combine,' The Athletic, 06/04/24).
With Fitzgerald declaring he will go "big game hunting" for a goaltender to solidify the position, it is expected that Allen will serve as New Jersey's 1B or backup.
During locker room cleanout day, The Hockey News asked the veteran if there are a number of games that he would want to start next season.
"I never put a number on it, I never have," Allen said. "Obviously, you want to play as much as you possibly can, but I think it is about the situation. It depends on how the season is going (and) who the other goalie is. There are so many variables now.
"Obviously, I want to play as much as I can, and I feel like my body's held up fairly well to this point in my career, so I feel like that's not an issue. It is more the situational awareness," he continued.
The goaltending position has been New Jersey's Achilles heel for quite some time. Bringing in the right netminder to work alongside Allen will be Fitzgerald's biggest decisions now that he has named Sheldon Keefe as head coach.
Reports have linked the Devils to Jacob Markstrom (34) and Linus Ullmark (30). Both would need to be acquired via trade as they both remain under contract with their respective clubs.
The good news for New Jersey is they hold the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and have young players who could be desired throughout the league.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.