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Blues Sign Goaltender Jake Allen To Two-Year Contract

Jake the Snake is getting a bridge deal.

By hildymac
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

This isn't the long-term contract deal that some folks may have been expecting. Instead, it fits in nicely with the Blues' trend this off-season: one to two year deals. There's been speculation that's to make it easy for a tweak at a later date if major changes need to be made, but for this year's All Rookie Team goalie, that probably isn't the case.

Allen is coming off of a two year, two way contract that paid him $750,000 in 2013-2014, and $850,000 in 2014-2015. This was a follow up to his standard three-year entry level contract. Allen is 24 years old; two years takes him right up to the edge of RFA status, giving the Blues bargaining power the next time negotiations come up. Allen will remain a RFA, and the Blues may have more leverage in signing him to a long-term deal without having to worry about him testing the UFA waters and driving his price up.

Last season, Allen had an impressive year (with a mid-season hiccup), going 22-7-4, with a .913 SV% and a 2.28 GAA. For much of the season, his GAA was lower and his SV% was higher, but some shaky play in December bumped those numbers up and down, respectively.

Judging from his body of work, however, Allen will be a solid netminder in the future. This season he will more than likely create another 1A/1B tandem with Brian Elliott, creating goaltender controversy yet again among fans.

UPDATE: