All Goalies In Play For Montreal, But Jake Allen Still Most Attractive
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal and when asked about the goaltending situation with the Canadiens, he believes anything is possible with their three goalies, but Jake Allen is still the one in play.
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Host: “And it’s interesting. I remember Dave going back a couple of years ago, at this time talking about what are the Canadiens going to get for Ben Chiarot. And then as you near the trade deadline, you saw what the Canadiens got for Ben Chiarot might be the same kind of conversation around David Savard, I’m not sure but it’s funny Gallo asked about the defense.
You mentioned a forward might be involved. We know that all the trade talk with the Canadiens in the first half of the season has been about goaltending. I’m just curious with the contract that Montembeault signed, does that steer play teams toward Jake Allen and Primeau more, or are teams still knocking on the door for Montembeault now that he has a contract?”
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Dave Pagnotta: “I think there was some curiosity and as the negotiation occurred, I think there were teams that wanted to have a better understanding as to where the Canadiens stand with Montembeault under the assumption that he was going to sign an extension.
Did that make them more tradable because there’s controllability because he was going to be a UFA, I think the Canadiens are open to anything with respect to all three of their goaltenders, but having Montembeault locked up for the for another three seasons, and given how well he’s played this season, I think there’s more reluctance to move him than either of the other two.
If you’re talking about Primeau, for example, I think I think the price tag is, I don’t want to say you know relatively high, but I don’t think it’s a scenario where they’ll just give him up for a draft pick if they wanted to do that they would have done it already. Same with Jake Allen, for a mid-round pick or anything like that. I just I just don’t see it.
As I said I think the Canadiens are open to any of the three possibilities there. But I think they may be more inclined to look at Jake Allen. Again, similar to what Matheson brings off the ice in terms of in the room. Obviously, Jake Allen certainly does that as well. But with one more year left on his contract he has a little bit of, of say with a seven-team no-trade, but he’s got a pretty solid cap hit for a team that’s struggling between the pipes.
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And I haven’t heard much on Edmonton side lately, but maybe a Carolina that has started to see what options are available to them out there in terms of goaltending because they’re guys Pyotr Kochetkov and Antti Raanta right now, you look at their numbers, it’s not impressive.
It’s not looking good. And the assumption now is that Freddie Andersen is done for the season. They are going to be entering the goaltending market if they haven’t already, and I’m sure there’s going to be some conversation to at least gauge what the price tag is on Jake Allen.”