At the end of the 2019-20 season, the Canadiens had some obvious holes in their lineup. They wanted to add more scoring as well as bolster the defence. However, the biggest need the club had if they wanted to have any success was a capable backup goaltender. Marc Bergevin decided to get a jump on this early in the offseason, acquiring Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues. The hope was that the club would be able to give Price some extra nights off, as we all saw how good a rested Carey Price can be during the Stanley Cup Playoffs last summer. They also wanted insurance in case Price got injured, they wouldn’t be stuck with throwing in an inexperienced Charlie Lindgren or rookie Cayden Primeau. This move proved pivotal for the Canadiens success and was a move that helped the Canadiens get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Jake Allen is a Key Reason the Montreal Canadiens Made the Playoffs
Prior to this season, the Canadiens lived and died by Carey Price. If Price was healthy and playing, the team had a chance. They would only go as far as he would carry them. If Price were to get injured, it was just as well for the Canadiens to pack it in for the year. However, this year, that was not the case. With Allen working as the club’s backup, he would see the ice regularly. Allen got at least three starts every single month leading up to April. The plan was to let Price rest as much as possible, especially during the shortened season. This was a luxury the Canadiens could not benefit from in previous years. The club would have to ride Price for 60 plus games every single season just to have a remote chance at the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Backup Turned Starter
In early April, Price suffered a lower-body injury which kept him out of action for almost two weeks. He returned to play one game against the Ottawa Senators and a period against the Edmonton Oilers before suffering a concussion, which sidelined Price for the remainder of the season. This put Allen back in charge as the starting netminder for the Canadiens for the remainder of the season. Allen actually appeared in more games than Price this season. He saw action in 29 games this season as opposed to Price’s 25. You could essentially say Allen ended up being the club’s 1A option this season, due to the fact he played more games than Price. And despite not having Price for the majority of the games, they were able to make the playoffs.
Allen’s Play Helps Guide Canadiens to the Post Season
Allen’s strong play helped guide the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He posted a record of 11-12-5 with a save percentage of .907 and goals-against-average of 2.68. Both Allen and Price posted almost identical base stats with Price boasting a slightly better record. Having your backup goaltender playing just as strong as your starter is something every team would dream about. And despite the numbers not being worthy of those goaltenders in the top 10, they are still very respectable and were enough to get the job done in the regular season.
When you dig deeper, you get an even better appreciation for Allen’s play. Of the 76 goals Allen allowed this season, 47 were considered high danger chances. His high danger save percentage was .803. This ranks him 13th in the entire league of goaltenders who played at least the same amount of minutes as Allen. These are solid numbers for someone who was brought in to be the backup. He gave the Canadiens a chance to win every single night, making desperate saves and often stealing games which is one of the main reasons the Canadiens are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Off to the Post Season
With the regular season over, the Canadiens’ focus now turns to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And although the crease will be handed back to Price for the post-season, the Canadiens can thank Jake Allen for helping them get there. Not only with his play, but his attitude and work ethic as well. Allen is always up to the task. In an interview before taking over for Carey Price in April, he expressed that by saying “Nothing changes for me. Carey, he’s done a great job for us and now I get a chance to go in there and play and have some fun with it. Nothing changes from my end. I’m preparing the same way as I would whether I’m playing or not playing. It really doesn’t change for me. I think consistency in that routine really just benefits you in the long run when these things come up.”
It’s that attitude to go along with his playing ability that helped get the Canadiens to the post-season. It also helped him capture the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy, which is awarded to a Habs player who played a dominant role in the regular season without earning any particular honour.
Price will be the Habs starter in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, if he stumbles or god-forbid gets injured, you better believe Jake Allen will be ready to take over the crease once again.
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