Jake Allen signed a five-year, $9 million contract to remain with the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $1.8 million.
The 34-year-old goalie, who was an unrestricted free agent, was 13-16-1 with a 2.66 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and four shutouts in 31 games (29 starts) for the Devils last season. He did not play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I think from the get-go at the end of the season, the ideal world would be to find a way to get something to work with Jersey and it took a little bit of time," Allen said. "Obviously, it's the business. There's no ill will. It's just business and we found a way to make it work. And obviously, for my year-and-a-half, I guess, spent with the Devils, opened my eyes, really, to something that little bit unsure of coming in.
"It's a good organization, great group of guys, headed in the right direction and that was important for me ... to be on a good team and I had that here in Jersey. The setup for my family was great. Obviously that's a major influencer for me. It just checked a lot of boxes. I'm glad to be able to finish my career here."
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round (No. 34) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Allen is 208-184-43 with a 2.76 GAA, .908 save percentage and 28 shutouts in 460 regular-season games (436 starts) for the Devils, Montreal Canadiens and Blues. He is 11-12 with a 2.06 GAA and .924 save percentage in 29 playoff games (23 starts).
"It's exciting to have Jake back and his family back in New Jersey, where they wanted to be and where we wanted them," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said Wednesday. "I give Jake and Shannon a lot of credit for helping us through this process cap wise, but it just shows you that we're building something here where people want to stay and it says a lot about Jake and his family. We're just so excited to bring him back."
Allen won the Stanely Cup with the Blues in 2019.
"My situation in Jersey was good," Allen said. "It's been good since the get-go. It's been good last year with my family on the ice, off the ice, and checked all the boxes for me. So really wanted to, if I wasn't going to be in Jersey, stay on the East Coast. ... 'Fitzy' and the organization is great to me since I came there. They've held their word and when I came there, he's tried to say he wanted to extend my career and found a way to do that and then do it in Jersey, so really excited for the next chapter."
The Devils also signed forward Connor Brown to a four-year, $12 million contract ($3 million AAV). The 31-year-old had 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 82 regular-season games for the Edmonton Oilers last season and nine points (five goals, four assists) in 20 playoff games.
"It was a balancing act to narrow down the places I wanted to be," Brown said. "I mean, ultimately, I'd say the main factor is the skill and of the team and the direction of the team. I think the team is in a position to get better and better over my term and so I anticipate some, some good playoff runs and things like that.
"I'm a two-way wing. always have been relied upon, heavily on penalty kill, positionally, very sound, and I like to create offense. I think as I've gotten older in my career, I think I really have a defined role. I imagine that (coach) Sheldon (Keefe) will give me some D zone starts and things like that, penalty kill and late in games, trying to close out games as well."
Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round (No. 156) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Brown has 258 points (107 goals, 151 assists) in 601 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and Oilers and 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 59 playoff games.
"We just wanted to add to the middle of our lineup, try to add some depth scoring, ability," Fitzgerald said. "Connor Brown's a guy who can move around your lineup. He gives you speed, a fantastic penalty killer. He's a guy that Sheldon will use at the end of games as well ... kind of like a Swiss (Army Knife), so really excited about him.
"I'm sure he had offers to go somewhere else but it's nice when you get kind of hand-picked and you can start a conversation, and you sense the excitement of a player not even knowing about New Jersey other than we have a good team, that wanted to be here, so that was great."
Evgenii Dadonov signed a one-year, $1 million contract with New Jersey on Tuesday. The 36-year-old forward had 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 80 regular-season games for the Dallas Stars last season and four points (one goal, three assists) in 16 playoff games.
"We heard from New Jersey," Dadonov said. "Had a couple offers but liked the opportunity in New Jersey, so it took a little longer to make a decision but it started to move to that direction. Last year, the team had a good regular season. I called my buddies, who live there, play there, and spoke to the coach. a combination of everything to push me to make that choice."
Selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round (No. 71) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Dadonov has 361 points (163 goals, 198 assists) in 617 regular-season games for the Panthers, Senators, Vegas Golden Knights, Canadiens and Stars and 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 55 playoff games.
"When we were kind of trying to fit pieces into the puzzle, it just made so much sense on a performance-based contract where he could fit in and earn some more money," Fitzgerald said, "so another guy that gives us flexibility, versatility throughout the lineup."
Forward Cody Glass signed a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV) Wednesday. He was a restricted free agent given a qualifying offer June 30 and had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 games following a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 7.
NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report
