The New Jersey Devils' biggest training camp battle may not leave fans feeling too inspired in a year when the organization has to bounce back after a tough 2025-26 season. Instead of a battle to see who claims the starting goaltender job, it could be a battle to see who squanders the opportunity the least between Jake Allen, David Rittich, and Nico Daws.
Allen and Daws are the early favorites to be the team's two dressed goaltenders on opening night. Allen filled in admirably for the Devils last season as backup, recording a 2.74 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage, despite winning just 17 of 36 games. Daws played just three games last season, but has a 2.96 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage over 52 career appearances.
The wild card could be Rittich, who has an up-and-down nine-year career. At his best, he owned a 2.15 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage with the Los Angeles Kings in 2023-24, but at his worst, he had a 3.57 GAA and an .886 sv% with the Nashville Predators in 2021-22. The rest of his years are a mixed bag of statistics somewhere in the middle of those two benchmarks.
If the Devils get the 2023-24 version of Rittich for 30 games this season, while Allen and Daws give them replacement-level goaltending in the other 54, they might not fare too badly in the Metropolitan Division. Regardless, it feels like this will be more of a three-headed monster than just two goaltenders running with it.
Connor Hellebuyck casts a shadow over Devils' crease
While Rittich is the wildcard amongst players currently in the organization, Connor Hellebuyck is the ultimate wildcard as the possibility of the Devils acquiring him still looms large. As New Jersey fans attempt to predict how many games each of their three goaltenders will get, that suddenly becomes much easier if the Team USA netminder takes 55-60 of those starts.
Devils fans shouldn't be worried about whether Allen, Daws, or even Rittich are good enough to get them back to the postseason. There have been worse tandems that have made it through the regular season, especially in a potentially weaker Metropolitan Division.
The concern is which goaltender stands out above the rest as the playoff starter over the course of the season and whether either of them can go on a two-month run. That seems like a stretch.
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