On this day, the New Jersey Devils made significant progress in their 2024 offseason plans. This morning, the team announced that they re-signed goaltender Nico Daws to a two-season contract. Later, around noon, they confirmed their participation in the ninth annual Prospects Challenge at the LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, New York. Now, the remaining tasks include finalizing new deals for restricted free agents Dawson Mercer and Nolan Foote and extending invitations for training camp.
Starting with the signing, Nico Daws, like Santeri Hatakka before him, was a restricted free agent without arbitration rights, expected to re-sign sometime this summer. Today’s announcement confirmed Daws’ two-season contract, starting as a two-way deal for 2024-25 and transitioning to a one-way deal for 2025-26. For the upcoming season, Daws will earn $775,000 at the NHL level and $350,000 at the AHL level, with a guaranteed minimum of $465,000. This salary is relatively high for AHL players. In 2025-26, he will receive $850,000 regardless of his league.
This contract structure indicates how management views Daws. Currently, he is the third-string goaltender, behind Jakob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Unless there are injuries, poor performances, or trades, Daws will likely remain with the Utica Comets. His salary reflects a minor increase, primarily at the AHL level, where he previously earned $80,000. With Allen becoming a free agent after the 2024-25 season, the one-way deal for 2025-26 suggests an opportunity for Daws to become Markstrom’s backup. If successful, Daws could secure a more substantial contract in the future. However, much can change, as evidenced by the Devils’ goaltending changes from last season.
Daws’ career has been unconventional. Drafted in the third round in 2020, he played a COVID-shortened season with ERC Ingolstadt in Germany, signed his entry-level contract, and debuted with New Jersey during the injury-plagued 2021-22 season. He spent time between the NHL and AHL, with his 2022-23 season cut short by a hip injury. After recovery, he returned to New Jersey, then back to Utica, posting save percentages of 89.3% in 2021-22 and 89.4% in 2023-24. A full, healthy season in Utica might be crucial for his development and stability.
At 23, with 46 NHL games, Daws is no longer a prospect. He will observe as the Devils participate in the Prospects Challenge, a pre-preseason tradition hosted by the Sabres since 2015. The Devils’ games will be livestreamed on their official website, with Matt Loughlin and Sam Kasan providing commentary. The schedule includes games against Ottawa on September 13, Buffalo on September 14, and Boston on September 16. Expected players include Seamus Casey, Topias Vilen, Mikeal Diotte, Josh Filmon, Chase Stillman, Cam Squires, and Dylan Wendt. While the full roster will be announced closer to the event, it’s likely that defenseman Igor Mburanumwe will join, while Kasper Pikkarainen probably won’t due to his commitments with TPS in Liiga.
As the summer progresses, once Mercer and Foote are re-signed, the Devils will be relatively quiet until the Prospects Challenge. This period of calm is a good time to focus on the under-25 players in the Devils’ system. Activities will pick up soon with the preseason and a game in Prague to start the 2024-25 season.
What are your thoughts on Daws’ new deal or the 2024 Prospects Challenge? Share your opinions and thoughts on today’s Devils news in the comments. Thank you for reading.