When it comes to the trade market, the Montreal Canadiens are one of the teams most watched right now. It is understandable, as they are currently sporting three goalies on their NHL roster – Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau. Until one of these three is moved, this will continue to be a topic of discussion amongst hockey fans. Although things have been fairly quiet up until this point, one Canadiens netminder is starting to generate interest.
In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Edmonton Oilers have spoken to the Canadiens about “the possibility” of acquiring Allen. However, the prominent insider also noted that he does not believe anything is imminent between the two clubs at this juncture.
Since Allen has been on the Oilers’ radar, let’s dive into why a potential move centering around the veteran netminder could make sense for both clubs if these talks become more serious during the season.
Allen’s Strong Start Could Lead to Bigger Return
Besides his tough performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Allen has had a wonderful start to the 2023-24. At the time of this writing, he sports a 3-2-1 record to go along with a .910 save percentage (SV%). He has kept the Canadiens in games that they should not have been in due to his excellent saves on many high-danger chances. As a result, if this kind of play continues, the Canadiens could get a decent return for the 33-year-old goalie if they shop him.
With the Canadiens rebuilding, it would not be too far-fetched to see them take advantage of Allen’s heightened value. Although they would be unlikely to land a first-round pick or top prospect for him, they could get some decent assets to help their rebuild. This is especially so if they were to take on a bad contract to help things work out financially.
Canadiens Would Free Up Bigger Spot for Primeau
One positive that would come from a potential Allen trade is that the Canadiens would solve their goalie dilemma. Although having three NHL-caliber netminders is certainly not a bad thing, it has led to Cayden Primeau barely being used this season. He is only getting into his second start of the season against the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 9, and that is not beneficial for a goalie looking to grow. With that, Primeau, of course, can’t be sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) without hitting the waiver wire.
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However, an Allen trade would open the door to Primeau being the club’s permanent backup at a minimum. This, in turn, would give the 24-year-old the opportunity to finally be a full-time NHL goaltender. The Canadiens would need to be fully confident in him before parting ways with Allen or even Montembeault, however.
Oilers Would Get Much-Needed Upgrade In Net
This move would benefit the Oilers because they would finally get an upgrade in their net. The club recently placed Jack Campbell on waivers because of his nightmare of a start to the season. In five appearances before his demotion to the AHL, the 31-year-old had a 1-4-0 record, a 4.50 goals-against average (GAA), and a .873 SV%. Needless to say, he has played a role in the Oilers’ atrocious start. Stuart Skinner has not been any better, either, as he has a 1-4-1 record, a .856 SV%, and a 3.99 GAA in seven games.
Bringing in Allen would give the Oilers more stability in the net right now, and that is something that they desperately need if they hope to turn their fortunes around. If Allen continues his strong start as the season rolls on, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Oilers upped their pursuit of the Fredericton native.
Alas, while Friedman reported that nothing is imminent between the two teams, things can change in an instant, and we know that Edmonton has Allen on their radar. It will be intriguing to see if something comes from the Oilers’ interest in him from here.