Jake Allen’s mentorship gives Nico Daws a clear path to compete for Devils’ starting job

Nico Daws has spent five years trying to establish himself with the New Jersey Devils. Jake Allen arrives as an experienced veteran with 14 NHL seasons behind him. The Devils open the 2026-27 season expecting Allen to carry most of the workload while Daws serves as the primary backup with a genuine opportunity to earn more starts.

Allen has played 497 NHL games across stints with the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens and Devils. He was traded to New Jersey on March 8, 2024, and is expected to be the veteran starter. Allen has embraced a mentor role and says Daws has "super high-end potential in this League." Allen's stated priority is to give Daws a runway to play through struggles without immediate demotion so he can build confidence.

Daws spent five years within the organization and has 142 AHL games (2.82 GAA,.899 save percentage) with six shutouts, plus 55 NHL appearances. He says he's matured and is focused on staying in the moment: "If you're thinking, you're toast. It's just keeping your focus on making the next save." Devils executive vice president of hockey operations Martin Brodeur said, "It's time for him," citing Daws' size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds), athleticism and prior NHL experience as reasons he can handle the next step.

• How the Devils split starts between Allen and Daws, especially in the first month.
• Daws' composure after mistakes and whether he receives consistent NHL minutes to build a rhythm.
• Whether Poirier's presence changes how the Devils manage upward or downward movement between NHL and AHL.

Daws to compete for a larger role. Jake Allen will carry the heavier game load and act as a mentor, with management and coaches signaling they want to see what Daws can do when given an extended opportunity at the NHL level.