Since returning from Christmas break, the New Jersey Devils have struggled to find consistent play from most of their roster, except their goaltending. Ironically, the one consistent position that has cursed the team over the past few seasons. Markstrom returning the past couple games for the Devils must have been a refreshing sight to see, but that does little to take away from those who stepped in.
The New jersey Devils Goaltending Provides a Strong Foundation
The Devils acquired Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames over the summer to sure up an area of need with a Vezina-calibre veteran. Through the first half of the season, Markstrom was everything that was advertised. Since the Martin Brodeur days, Devils goaltending appeared to be an important strength for the roster.
However, on January 22nd, Markstrom suffered a knee sprain after a collision during the middle frame of a game against the Boston Bruins. He struggled to put any weight on his leg and needed assistance leaving the ice from the training staff. Immediate panic set in from the fan base expecting the season to derail with the injury. Early injury reports indicated that Markstrom would miss approximately four-to-six weeks with the sprain. It was a promising update, but the reality was the Devils needed to find success without their starter.
A Capable Veteran Finding a Spark
The Devils goaltending room had another veteran in Jake Allen. The 12-year veteran is no stranger to carrying the workload for stretches, but he had not played more than 45 games in a season since 2018-19 for the St. Louis Blues.
Allen was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens last season at the trade deadline to serve as an added insurance piece for an instance just like this one. He provides the Devils with another veteran netminder who can fill in while their younger prospects continue to develop.
Allen made eight starts in Markstrom’s absence. He posted a 3-5-0 record, but a .914 SV% is more indicative of the team’s poor play at times in front of him. Allen gave up 21 goals over that stretch, a number also inflated due to two bad periods in which the opponent scored four times.
New Jersey Devils Goaltending of the Future
Nico Daws also stepped up posting a 3-0-0 record over four appearances. Daws has been on the Utica shuffle for the past few seasons. This year, Daws has seen some struggles as the starting goaltender in the AHL. In 23 starts for Utica, he has a 3.37 GAA and an .891 SV%.
Given the subpar numbers in the minor leagues over the past two seasons, many would have written off Daws for having a ceiling as an injury replacement and nothing more. The Devils have faith in Daws. They are still seeing him as the goaltender of the future.
Daws has rewarded the Devils trust in him in his limited role in the NHL. Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe listed him as the starter in three games last month. In those, he posted a .966 SV% and a 0.88 GAA. He also picked up his first NHL shutout in Nashville on February 26th.
On March 2nd, Markstrom returned to the lineup, and the Devils sent Daws back to Utica as a result. Despite the ‘demotion’, Daws once again proved he has the opportunity to big a big piece of the Devils future post-Markstrom.
New Jersey went 6-5-0 in the 11 games that Markstrom missed. The Devils positioning in the playoff picture is becoming tighter by the game without their number one, but both Jake Allen and Nico Daws did their part in keeping the team above water.
Main Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
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