Three bargain bin goaltenders the New Jersey Devils could target

The club will need insurance between the pipes if and when Jake Allen walks. Let's look at some options.

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Jake Allen played his role as a backup exceptionally well this past season. Too well, in fact.

He ranked 3rd in the league in Goals Saved Above Expected per start and did a great job of keeping the New Jersey Devils in games while Jacob Markstrom was sidelined and the offense dried up.

Given his strong play, a weak free agent class, a long list of teams looking for goaltending help, and the Devils’ lack of cap space, Allen moving on feels like a foregone conclusion.

Although Nico Daws performed well during his cup of coffee with the big club last season, the Devils will no doubt be looking for some veteran insurance in the event a) he’s not cut out for a full-time NHL job and/or b) injuries pop up in goal.

Let’s take a closer look at a few names worth monitoring when free agency begins.

Kaapo Kahkonen

Kahkonen was tossed around like a frisbee in 2024-25, spending time with a few different organizations.

He signed with the Jets in July, was plucked off waivers by the Avalanche in November, then traded to the Panthers in March.

What had to be an extremely difficult season mentally didn’t seem to slow Kahkonen; at least down the stretch.

He finished the regular season with Charlotte on an 8-4 run and won 11 of 16 playoff starts, posting a respectable .908 save percentage along the way.

Kahkonen has 140 games of NHL experience to his name and is familiar with the Devils organization from his cup of coffee in 2023-24.

The Devils and Kahkonen feel like a great match on both ends. They need the insurance in goal and they’re a team where there’s actually a realistic pathway for Kahkonen to get into NHL games.

Matt Murray