The Devils announced they’ve recalled goaltender Nico Daws and forward Mike Hardman from AHL Utica. They’ll presumably dress for tonight’s regular-season finale against the Red Wings to allow a couple of players to rest ahead of their pending Game 1 of the playoffs against the Hurricanes.
Daws’ time in New Jersey this year has been short and sweet. There haven’t been many opportunities for upward mobility for him this year, with veterans Jacob Markström and Jake Allen having strong seasons, but when he gets the chance to play due to injuries, he’s seized it. He’s won all three of his starts and made an additional two relief appearances, posting a shining .966 SV% and 0.88 GAA – including a 29-save shutout against the Predators on Feb. 23. That’s good for a remarkable 6.9 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.
Puzzlingly, the 24-year-old hasn’t fared nearly as well in the minors. He’s logged a 3.16 GAA and .893 SV% with one shutout and an 11-20-3 record in 34 showings for the Comets. It’s his second straight AHL season below the .900 mark. The 2020 third-rounder still has another year left on his contract with an $812.5K cap hit. It changes from a two-way to a one-way deal for next year, though, so he’ll get a significant raise even if he stays in the minors.
Hardman has made a lone appearance for the Devils this year, slotting into a game against the Rangers in early December. It was the 38th appearance of his career, which has spanned parts of four NHL seasons. The 26-year-old has been an infrequent call-up option for Chicago and New Jersey over his pro career, signing with the Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2021.
After three-plus years in the Blackhawks organization, Hardman achieved Group VI unrestricted free agent status last summer and inked a two-year, two-way deal in New Jersey, so they’ve got him as depth for next season, too. The 6’2″, 205-lb forward leads Utica with a +11 rating and ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 18-17–35 in 57 games. He has 1-4–5 in his 38 career NHL appearances.