The New Jersey Devils have added another veteran presence in goal, signing David Rittich to a one-year contract, according to PuckPedia.
The deal comes with a $1 million cap hit through the 2026-27 season, and it keeps Rittich in the Tri-State area after he spent the 2025-26 campaign with the New York Islanders on a one-year, $1 million deal. Behind Ilya Sorokin, Rittich got into 30 games and posted a 14-10-3 record with a 2.76 goals-against average, a .894 save percentage and two shutouts. Even with Sorokin and Rittich handling the net, the Islanders faded late and slipped out of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race.
Rittich’s production last season tracked closely to what he did with the Los Angeles Kings in 2024-25, and that marked a drop from his 2023-24 numbers. In 24 appearances that season, the Czech goaltender went 13-6-3 with a 2.15 GAA, a .921 SV% and three shutouts.
The Devils are now the sixth team Rittich has played for since the Calgary Flames dealt him to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2021 season. He has also spent time with the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets since then.
His arrival adds another layer to New Jersey’s goaltending picture. The Devils traded Jacob Markstrom back to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, then signed Nico Daws to a two-year contract on Wednesday.
Jake Allen is still in the mix, and there is already a belief that he could step into the starting role. If Daws or Rittich are sent to the Utica Comets, both would need to clear waivers first.
In Other News...
Red Wings Just Made A Surprising Call On Amadeus Lombardi
The Devils have kept a close eye on Amadeus Lombardi since acquiring the forward prospect from Detroit for a 2026 fourth-round pick, and now theyve added another layer of commitment with a new two-year deal. The contract is structured to give both sides flexibility early before shifting to a one-way arrangement in year two, a sign that New Jersey sees more than just organizational depth in a player who has been building his case in Grand Rapids.
Lombardi still has not made his NHL debut, but his progress with the Griffins has been hard to ignore. He has taken real steps as a scorer in the AHL, which is exactly the kind of development the Devils want to see from a young forward who came in as a low-cost add and is now being rewarded with a clearer path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Just Closed The Door On A Prospect Fans Know Well
The Devils have added another young forward to the organizational mix, signing Lombardi to a two-year contract after acquiring his signing rights from Detroit for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. It is the kind of low-cost move teams make when they still believe there is something to uncover in a player who has spent time developing in the AHL, and Lombardis path has run through Grand Rapids since the Red Wings drafted him in the fourth round in 2022.
For New Jersey, the appeal is obvious enough: a 23-year-old forward with some pro seasoning and a fresh opportunity in a new system. The contract gives the Devils a bit of flexibility while also signaling that they saw enough value to part with a future pick, even if the finer points of the deal leave room for the team to manage his role carefully as he tries to push toward his NHL debut. [Read more 🡒]