The New Jersey Devils have announced they have signed goaltender Nico Daws to a new two-year, two-way deal worth $1.625 million. Daws will make $755,000 at the NHL level in year one of the deal. In year two, Daws will make $850,000.
#NEWS: We’ve re-signed goaltender Nico Daws to a two-year deal.
?: https://t.co/s2LqxQLOo7 pic.twitter.com/gytLpO3D2f
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 30, 2024
Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils’ Assistant General Manager and Utica Comets General Manager Dan MaKinnon announced on Tuesday morning.
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Nico Daws was initially drafted in the third round, 84th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. There was a lot of hope for Daws to be the organization’s future between the pipes. He played the better parts of the last two seasons with the Devils. But he also split time in the AHL with the Utica Comets. However, injuries hampered his development, not to mention the emergence of Akira Schmid.
Daws had successful hip surgery during the summer of 2023, and he did not make his first start on December 8, 2023. With Schmid’s struggles, Daws returned to the big club. He played most of the 2023-24 season in the NHL and had a record of 9-11 with a 3.13 goals against average and .854 save percentage in 21 games with the New Jersey Devils. Not only did he come up for Schmid, but he took over the starter’s role from Vitek Vaneck at times.
Nico Daws made history for the New Jersey Devils on February 17, 2024. The Devils played in the Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium against the Philadelphia Flyers. Daws got the first NHL victory for the Devils in an outdoor game, setting a new NHL record with 45 saves on 48 shots, the most shots a goaltender faces in outdoor game history.
The Devils’ position was crowded, with Tom Fitzgerald acquiring Kaapo Kahkonen and Jake Allen at the deadline. This forced Daws and Schmid to go to the minors to develop. In his career in the NHL, Daws has a record of 19-22-1 with a 3.13 goals-against average and .894 save percentage.
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In the AHL, he has a record of 32-24-7, a 2.68 goals-against average, and a .906 save percentage in 64 career regular-season games. In 10 playoff games, he has a record of 5-5, with one shutout.
However, the Devils believe Daws is the backup moving forward. Akira Schmid is no longer with the organization, being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Day 2 of the NHL Draft. Vitek Vanecek was traded to the San Jose Sharks for Kahkonen at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. So, with a year left on his deal, the Devils will roll with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen this year as the tandem between the pipes.
However, if there is an injury, Nico Daws will be the goalie called. Once Allen’s deal is done, Daws is expected to be Markstrom’s backup during the 2025-26 season.
