​ELMONT, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: David Rittich #33 of the New York Islanders tends net against the Calgary Flames during the first period at UBS Arena on March 14, 2026 in Elmont, New York. Following the trade of Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers, it appears the Devils are poised to enter the 2026-27 season with Jake Allen and Nico Daws in net. Devils GM Sunny Mehta spoke to the media earlier on Thursday about the goaltending situation. Amanda Stein quoted Mehta, noting that Nico Daws has long been a significant prospect for the organization but hasn’t had a clear development path, and that the team is excited about the potential opportunity he could receive. Mehta added that while this might not be the final goaltending tandem for the upcoming season, he is comfortable if Allen and Daws are the starters.
Although Allen and Daws could form the NHL duo for the Devils next season, Mehta isn’t ruling out additional competition during training camp. PuckPedia reported Thursday night that the Devils are signing unrestricted free agent goaltender David Rittich to a one-year, $1 million contract. The deal is described as a one-way contract without trade protection.
Rittich is a decade-long veteran who has played for Calgary, Toronto, Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, and the New York Islanders. He carries a .903 career save percentage over 260 NHL games. This past season, Rittich posted a strong first half with a .918 save percentage backing up Ilya Sorokin, but a slump after January 1, finishing with an .856. Despite the downturn, the numbers show encouraging trends; he saved 4.2 goals above expected this past season, ranking between Connor Hellebuyck and Brandon Bussi among goalies with at least 25 appearances, and slightly behind Jake Allen overall. His low-danger save percentage sits at .968, significantly higher than Jacob Markstrom’s .949 last season, while his high-danger save percentage was .818, sixth in the league and again ahead of Markstrom’s .734.
The analysis isn’t meant to single out Markstrom; rather, it highlights that Rittich has shown the ability to excel on high-leverage plays and make the more difficult saves over the course of a season. While his 2024-25 results dipped to an .886 save percentage with -11.4 goals saved above expected, he rebounded with a strong 2023-24 season at .921 and 13.8 GSAX. Rittich’s career has been characterized by fluctuations, swinging between solid and uneven performances, but his overall body of work suggests he can provide useful depth and competition for New Jersey’s goaltending tandem.