The Edmonton Oilers are facing an uncomfortable reality: they’re running out of options in the crease. With a weak pool of unrestricted free agent goaltenders available this year, 34-year-old Jake Allen is standing out as the only real option worth considering, and not just for the Oilers. With teams in need of reliable backups or injury insurance, Allen’s stock is quietly rising.
With Goalie Market Thin, Allen Emerges as Top UFA Option for Edmonton
With July 1 approaching, Allen has yet to re-sign with the New Jersey Devils, leaving his future uncertain and putting teams like the Edmonton Oilers on alert. While the Devils still have a window to bring him back, Allen is in a strong negotiating position thanks to both his recent performance and a notably weak goalie market in this year’s free agency class.
Allen’s 2024-25 season was exactly what New Jersey GM Tom Fitzgerald had hoped for when he acquired the veteran netminder. Brought in to provide stability behind Jacob Markstrom, Allen stepped up when it mattered most.
When Markstrom missed nearly six weeks due to injury, Allen filled in seamlessly, posting a .919 save percentage during that stretch, including two shutouts, and proving he could still perform under pressure at this stage of his career.
My #NJDevils wishlist. I don’t know how the trades or the cap will work.
Trade for- Jason Robertson and Ross Colton.
Re-sign- L. Hughes, Jake Allen, Cody Glass, Daniel Sprong, Nolan Foote, Brian Dumoulin
Trade or Buy Out- Ondrej Palat
Might take Mercer or Nemec to get Robo.
— Andrew Timoni 🇺🇸🇮🇹 (@AndrewTimoni) June 30, 2025
The numbers tell the story of Allen’s value in the current market. By season’s end, he had compiled a respectable 13-16-1 record with a 2.66 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage, and four shutouts overall. For a 34-year-old backup operating with limited ice time and irregular starts, those statistics represent solid production that few available goaltenders can match.
Allen is essentially the only option worth considering on the open market, which puts Edmonton in a precarious position. The Oilers will likely explore trade possibilities to shore up their goaltending situation, but without any clear, affordable solutions available through that route, signing Allen could be their safest and most immediate move.
Edmonton’s Urgent Timeline Adds Pressure
From Edmonton’s perspective, Allen’s availability couldn’t come at a more urgent time. Goaltending remains one of the team’s most significant concerns heading into the offseason, and the organization faces a challenging timeline with few reliable alternatives emerging in free agency.
The Oilers are simultaneously navigating major changes up front that could complicate their pursuit of Allen. With Evander Kane traded and Viktor Arvidsson expected to depart soon, Edmonton may need to split their attention between adding wingers for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and addressing the goaltending situation.
That juggling act could make it difficult to move quickly in the goalie market, which is exactly why Allen’s name carries such urgency for the organization.
Allen previously carried a $7.7 million contract over two years, making him one of the more experienced and better-compensated backups in recent seasons. Now, approaching the end of his prime, he’s unlikely to command the same money, but that reduced cost may be what makes him attractive to cap-conscious contenders like Edmonton.
Unless the Oilers can pull off a trade for goaltending help, their crease fix may rest solely on whether they can land the veteran netminder before another team does.
