Devils add veteran depth in goal, signing David Rittich to a one-year deal

The New Jersey Devils have agreed to a one-year contract with veteran goaltender David Rittich, according to a report published Wednesday. The addition is being framed as another push to create competition in the crease as the Devils navigate their goaltending picture heading into the 2026-27 season.

The timing matters because the Devils also have been working through the aftermath of their Jacob Markstrom trade to the Florida Panthers. With Markstrom no longer in the organization, the Devils’ short-term goal plan appears to lean on Jake Allen and prospect Nico Daws, with Rittich viewed as added insurance and a stabilizing presence in training camp and the preseason.

Rittich is expected to arrive on a one-year, $1 million contract, also per the report. The same reporting indicates the deal is reportedly a one-way contract and does not include trade protection, details that suggest New Jersey is looking for clear roster flexibility while still maintaining veteran options in goal.

From a performance standpoint, the report describes Rittich as a 10-year NHL veteran who has posted a.903 save percentage over 260 career games. It also points to recent volatility in his results, noting that last season split into two distinct phases: strong early form with a.918 save percentage prior to January 1 and a drop to an.856 save percentage from January 1 on.

The Devils’ broader internal plan, at least as described in connection with their goaltending discussions, centers on the development path for Daws. In commentary attributed to Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, the organization has been described as excited about Daws’ “potential opportunity” as the goaltender’s path to meaningful minutes has not fully opened in previous seasons.

At the same time, Mehta’s remarks as relayed in the report reportedly did not treat Allen and Daws as a guaranteed season-opening tandem. The framing suggests New Jersey intends to keep evaluating the situation with an open competition feel, rather than declaring a fixed pair of starters at the outset.

For Devils fans, the most immediate question is how the club plans to manage reps and roles once training camp gets underway. Rittich’s presence changes the tone of the competition by adding a veteran who can handle high-pressure preparation, while Daws’ development remains the longer-term storyline. The next thing to watch is how New Jersey structures the early workload among the three netminders and what that implies for the team’s preseason deployment.