The New Jersey Devils are entering the off-season with multiple pending free agents. One of the notable ones of the bunch is veteran goalie Jake Allen, as he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if the Devils do not re-sign him by then.
With the way Allen played this season, there is certainly an argument to be had to keep him around. The 34-year-old was excellent in the backup role for the Devils, posting a 2.66 goals-against, a .906 save percentage, and four shutouts in 31 appearances. With numbers like these, he worked well behind Devils starter Jacob Markstrom.
However, if the Devils are unable to agree to terms on a new contract with Allen and he walks in free agency, they already have a clear option to consider as his replacement for the backup role - Nico Daws.
Daws certainly thrived when given the chance to play with the Devils this season. In six appearances with New Jersey on the year, the 2020 third-round pick posted a 3-1-0 record, a .939 save percentage, a 1.60 goals-against average, and one shutout. With numbers like these, he certainly stands out as an interesting potential backup option for the Devils if Allen ends up not coming back.
Furthermore, while Daws spent a good portion of this season down in the AHL with the Utica Comets, he already has a decent amount of NHL experience. In 52 games with the Devils over three seasons, he has a 22-23-1 record, a 2.98 goals-against average, and a .898 save percentage. With this, he could very well be ready for a bigger opportunity at the NHL level.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Devils and their goaltending situation this off-season. Keeping Allen around should still be their top priority when it comes to the backup, but they have a good potential plan B in Daws if the former tests free agency.
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