There has been considerable discussion about how the Rangers need to revamp their roster to return to the playoffs. However, what has been largely overlooked is that their roster not only needs a shakeup, but also needs to improve beyond the caliber of the Metro and Eastern Conference. That task just got harder, as long-time rival, the New Jersey Devils, grabbed all the headlines before the start of the free agency.
On Tuesday, the Devils re-signed Jake Allen to a five-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.8 million. This is a move that will sufficiently improve the Devils, much to the dismay of Rangers fans. But how will this move affect the Blueshirts' chances of getting back to the playoffs?
Jake Allen will creates more hurdles for the Rangers playoff chances
At first glance, this move does not appear to be a significant shift. Allen will slide back to his role as backup goaltender behind Jacob Markstrom. However, many saw Allen as a starter-caliber goaltender this past season, and he was expected to land a bigger contract when free agency opened. Some experts believed that Allen could be receiving a contract worth around $4 million AAV.
This hefty price tag was due to many seeing him as a starting-caliber goaltender. Allen turned the clock back in 2024-25, posting his best numbers since the 2020-21 season, when he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens. In 31 games, he had a save percentage of .906 with a goals against average of 2.66. He logged 15 quality starts, which was .517% of all the starts he made.
The Devils now have one of the better goalie tandems in the NHL. Markstrom put up a .900 save percentage and a 2.50 goals against average in 49 starts. For years, the one thing holding New Jersey back was its goaltending situation. It was always an apparent weakness and something the core of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes could not overcome. That will not be a problem for the foreseeable future.
Allen signing for far less than what he was valued at also opens more cap space for the Devils. After this signing, the Devils have around $12.5 million in cap space. More than enough money to add one to two more impact pieces. They're already coming off a 91-point season, and an addition would make them a legit threat to earn 100+ points.
It's clear that the Devils plan to build on last season and make a run at the Metro Division title. This creates another opponent for the Rangers. There was a hope that with the Mike Sullivan hire, as well as the players already on contract, the Rangers' floor would be a playoff spot. However, with the Devils building a strong goalie tandem and having money to spend, they appear to be a lock for one of the spots in the Metro. This will force the Rangers to become even more aggressive in pursuit of players. If they want to return to the playoffs, a few tweaks are not going to be enough.