Free Agent Target: Jake Allen is the best UFA netminder available this off-season

Could Jake Allen split the crease with Dustin Wolf next season?

In recent times, we’ve looked at a couple of goalies who could come in to backup Dustin Wolf. One option is Alex Lyon, who put up solid stats in stretches for the Detroit Red Wings over the last two seasons. The other netminder is Ivan Prosvetov, who the Flames have been linked to this off-season.

However, Jake Allen is the best goaltending free agent available, at least in terms of unrestricted free agents. That’s who we’ll look at in this edition of Free Agent Targets.

Jake Allen’s stats

Allen was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2008 draft. His best season came eight seasons later, posting a .920 save percentage and 2.35 goals against average in 47 games. In the 2016-17 season, Allen had a .915 save percentage and 2.42 goals against average in 61 games.

His play took a decline in the next two seasons, one of which saw him play on the bench when the Blues were carried to the Stanley Cup by Jordan Binnington. Allen had a strong 2019-20 season with the Blues as the backup, rocking a .927 save percentage in 24 games.

Allen was traded to the Montréal Canadiens before the start of the 2020-21 season, and in the parts of four seasons there, his numbers took a massive hit. In 127 games with the Original Six franchise, Allen had an .899 save percentage and 3.30 goals against average, down from his .913 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average in seven seasons with the Blues.

Before the 2024 trade deadline, Allen was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he had a .900 save percentage in 13 games. He served as former Flame Jakob Markström’s backup in 2024-25, finishing the season with a .908 save percentage in 31 games.

Jake Allen’s contract outlook

Per AFPAnalytics, Allen is set to earn a cap hit of $3.512 million over a two-year deal. That said, it doesn’t factor in that many teams need a netminder this off-season and someone is going to go overboard, probably the Edmonton Oilers.

Of course, the Flames will be able to match most teams, as they have plenty cap space, just over $25 million to be exact. They’ll need to sign RFAs Morgan Frost, Connor Zary, and Kevin Bahl, but they’ll have more than enough to land one of the biggest free agents. That said, is he a fit?

Is Jake Allen a fit for the Flames

Allen is a good goaltender, but he may be too good for what the Flames need. Allen could be a starter after his strong performance in 2024-25, and a team like the Oilers could offer him that opportunity.

On the other hand, Wolf proved he was able to handle difficult teams during the Flames’ stretch drive to attempt to make the post-season. That means Wolf won’t need to split the crease like he did with Daniel Vladař in 2024-25.

While the Flames need a backup, they could look internally at Devin Cooley, re-sign Vladař, or sign one of the cheaper options in Lyon or Prosvetov.