The New Jersey Devils have locked in Nico Daws for the next two seasons, signing the 25-year-old goaltender to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $1,100,000. The deal breaks down to $975,000 in 2026-27 and $1,225,000 in 2027-28, according to the team. General Manager Sunny Mehta made the announcement.
Daws has spent parts of the last five seasons in the organization, moving between New Jersey and the Utica Comets. Last season, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound netminder appeared in 44 games for Utica, finishing 17-16-11 with a 2.78 goals-against average, a .892 save percentage and two shutouts. He also got into three games with the Devils, going 2-1-0 with a 2.62 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
One of Daws’ biggest NHL moments came on Feb. 17, 2024, when he backstopped New Jersey to its first outdoor game win, a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium. Daws made 45 saves on 48 shots, setting an NHL record for the most saves by a goaltender in an outdoor game. The 48 shots he faced were also the most ever for an NHL netminder in that setting.
Daws, born Dec. 22, 2000, made his NHL debut on Oct. 23, 2021, and did it in style, stopping 24 of 25 shots in a 2-1 win against Buffalo. That performance made him the fifth goaltender in franchise history to win his NHL debut.
In 55 career NHL games, Daws has a 24-24-1 record with a 2.96 goals-against average, a .898 save percentage and one shutout. Across 142 career regular-season AHL games, he owns a 60-60-21 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. He was named a 2022-23 AHL All-Star for the North Division and has a 5-5 record in the Calder Cup Playoffs with one shutout.
New Jersey drafted Daws in the third round, 84th overall, in the 2020 NHL Draft. He has also represented Canada internationally, winning gold at the IIHF’s 2020 World Junior Championship and appearing in one game for Canada at the IIHF’s 2024 World Championship.
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