The New Jersey Devils revamped their goalie situation, getting Jake Allen from the Canadiens and Kaapo Kahkonen from the Sharks.
The Devils are sending a conditional third-round pick to the Canadiens, who are retaining 50% of Allen’s $3.85 million salary. The draft pick could improve to a second-rounder based off a games-played contingency.
The Sharks get goaltender Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round draft pick.
Allen is under contract through next season, now at a $1.9 million cap hit for New Jersey. Kahkonen is on an expiring contract with a cap hit of $2.75 million.
The Devils have a team save percentage of .891 this season between Vanecek, Akira Schmid and Nico Daws. It is the second-worst mark in the league. No New Jersey goalie has recorded a shutout this season.
According to sources, the Devils were close to a deal for Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom last month, which fell through. Sources say New Jersey will look to reengage in those trade talks over the summer, looking for a true No. 1 goaltender to backstop their exciting young core.
The addition of Allen is viewed as a stopgap to shoulder starts from the Devils’ young goaltenders for the rest of the season while protecting their confidence and development.
On a team that hasn’t been in playoff contention for some time in Montreal, the 33-year-old Allen won 15 games last season in 42 starts and won three of his first four starts this season.
Kahkonen has struggled that last two seasons on a dreadful Sharks team. He’s 6-20 this season with an .895 save percentage and 3.85 goals-against average.
