On Wednesday, the New Jersey Devils continued the first day of the Free Agent Frenzy with a contract extension for goaltender Nico Daws. 

Daws earned himself a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.1 million. He will make $925 thousand in 2026-27 and $1.225 million in 2027-28. 

This deal comes after the Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. This opens the door for Daws to get some playing time with Jake Allen, but there is still the potential for a big move in net. 

Daws is 25 years old, and he has been developing in the Devils system for the last five years. Going back and forth between the NHL and AHL has been his assignment to begin his career. 

In 82 NHL games played (75 of them starts), Daws is 24-24-1 with a 2.96 goals against average, a .898 save percentage, and a shutout. Only 3 of those games, all of them started, came in 2025-26. He went 2-1-0 in those games with a 2.62 goals against and a .908 save percentage. 

The career moment for Daws to date is the 6-3 win he had as the starter in the 2024 NHL Stadium Series. This is also the first and only outdoor win in the history of the New Jersey Devils. He faced 48 shots in the win, which is the most a goalie has ever faced in an outdoor game. 

There are rumors surrounding Winnipeg Jets superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck, and there are other goalies out there that New Jersey could consider. However, having Daws locked in is important for them as an option for themselves and the Utica Comets. 

The future of the crease in New Jersey is cloudy, with a lot of parts that may still be moving, but Daws will remain someone who is an option for them at this time.

Visit The Hockey News New Jersey Devils team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.