Normally I would say a third would be a reasonable return for a half retained Allen…but after seeing how much of a buyers market it is at this year’s TDL I’m amazed by this especially considering the plausible condition on the pick that would turn the return into a 2nd. Hughes knows what he is doing.

if there was an award for the worst GM of the season, I couldn't decide who is worse - Fitzgerald, Dubas or Greer

Grier retaining on Hertl’s contract for the next 6+ years would probably be the biggest poop in the portapotty IMO.

Allen is underrated and under appreciated. Good deal for both teams

Hughes has never made a bad trade. Habs would’ve been happy to get rid of Allen for nothing

That's what it sounds like to me. I suspect the idea was that if he ends up being New Jersey's #1 goalie and they make the playoffs, they'd be happy to upgrade the pick, but Hughes figured if New Jersey trades him and he does that for somebody else, Montreal shouldn't miss out on the upgrade because of something they had no control over.

Good work by Montreal getting a 3rd for a guy they didn’t need and who I wasn’t sure had positive value. They had to retain salary to do it, but that amount of retention is worth about a 4th so it’s still positive, and they still have one retention slot left next year. It may even turn into a 2nd.

New Jersey didn’t get the goalie they wanted, but you have to take what’s available, and he should be better than what they had. With the retention, they can afford to keep him as a backup if they’re able to land a bigger name in the off season.

No chance Allen and Kaapo Kak are both one the opening night roster, especially if Fitzgerald wants to be GM moving forward. My guess is that both goalies will be auditioning for the backup role for next season. Devils will bring in a real goalie this summer.

I actually thought this might happen despite Allen being horrendous all year. Hes been very bad, Devils fans. Forget saves above expected. Allen is the king to of the terrible early goal to start the game.
I thought whether putting up an Allen deal in my ACGM was worth it but didn’t think they’d get close to a 2nd rounder (actually probable) while not wanting to deal with Devils fans whom for sure would have flamed the hell out of this proposed trade.

I’ll always hate the Lehkonen trade despite no one on ACGM knowing how good he was outside Montreal fans in 2022.

Forgot about that one. Berge did everything to ruin that stud

Kähkönen has been amazing this year+ the team has been garbage fire.... So Kähkönen is easily a 1B option next year if Markström deal is happening during the summer