Insider: Goalie Jake Allen to Spark Bidding War

There are a number of teams around the NHL in the market for a goaltender this summer. Some are looking for a No. 1, like the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers, while some would settle for a 1B... Someone like Jake Allen.

Allen, soon to be 35, and a pending UFA, has settled into being a solid backup, or 1B, between the pipes over the last few years of his career, and carries a 12-year save percentage of .907 with a 2.76 goals against average.

According to insider Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff, the Flyers are a team that could look at Allen as a "cheaper option".

Worth noting that the Devils to Jake Allen, speaking with a team source.

But given how many teams need goalies right now there is a belief that Allen could spark a small "bidding war," according to one person. @DailyFaceoff https://t.co/BDADYKHCNg
— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) June 20, 2025

But Di Marco goes one step further, saying that there are enough teams with interest that there's a belief that Allen could even spark a small "bidding war."

Other teams notably in the market for a goaltending help include the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres. The list of unrestricted free agent goalies this summer is not an especially impressive one, with Allen pretty much right at the top. He's coming off a two-year, $3.85 million AAV contract. AFP Analytics projects him to land something similar again on his next deal.

Allen finished last season with the Devils with a .906 Sv%, a 2.66 GAA, and four shutouts. But for a time in January/February, he was called on to take over the No. 1 role, with Jacob Markstrom out for several weeks. Allen stepped up big-time, with a .923 save percentage and two shutouts across an eight-start stretch.