At 24 years old, Nico Daws may not have experienced it all, but he has been around long enough to have a clear understanding of the business side of hockey.
After Saturday afternoon’s practice, the young goaltender spoke to The Hockey News, reflecting on this being his fifth training camp with the New Jersey Devils organization. Over the years, he played 98 American Hockey League (AHL) games and 52 NHL games.
In his second professional season, Daws was named to the 2022-23 AHL All-Star Classic. In 2024, he shined under the lights of MetLife Stadium, making 45 saves in the Devils’ 6–3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Stadium Series.
Looking back on his first few years, he spoke about maturity.
“I feel like my first few years, I kind of had that feeling of Do I really belong?” he explained. “You are so young, and guys are older, but now I am coming into myself more and having a lot more confidence in my game and as a person, too. It’s been nice.”
Daws has experienced the highs and lows that any developing player experiences throughout their career, but with age comes comfortability.
“Obviously, it takes a while to get your game comfortable at this level, and being able to do it on a consistent basis,” he said. “There are so many hard lessons you have to learn. I feel like I have learned a lot of them, but obviously, there is still a lot of room to grow and areas to improve in.
“I feel really good about where I am at right now.”
Daws is entering camp understanding that the Devils’ goaltending tandem will be veterans Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. The 6-foot-4 netminder wasn’t surprised to see Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald sign Allen in free agency, saying the 35-year-old is a great goalie and a great person.
This leads to an unknown for Daws and his future in New Jersey. He will require waivers to be assigned to the Utica Comets (AHL). If the Devils need Daws’ services at any point during this season, there is a risk that another NHL team could claim him and take on his contract.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Daws said when asked if he thinks about getting claimed off waivers. “My job stays the same. That is all I am focused on: making sure I am ready to go when the season starts.”
His response aligns with his easy-going and adaptable personality, which reporters have come to appreciate.
While there were some struggles last season in Utica, Daws showed well in the four games he started for the Devils last season, earning a 3-1-0 record with a .939 save percentage and a 1.60 goals-against average. For the 2025-26 season, he is on a one-way deal at $850,000 at the NHL level.
“At the end of the day, you gotta play as good as you can,” he said. “You don’t always have control of where you end up or what happens. That is just the realistic side of pro hockey. You have to be able to put your head down and work through the circumstances, no matter what.”
Make sure you bookmark THN’s New Jersey Devils site for THN’s latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes
Hischier’s Manager Patrick Fischer: ‘He’s Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily
Read the full article here