Diggin’ Into Daws’ Story: Meet Comets’ Goaltender, Nico Daws
Mar 18, 2026Utica, NY – This week after practice, we were joined by Comets’ goaltender and fifth-year pro, Nico Daws.
Daws was born in Munich, Germany, but only lived there for six months before his family moved back to Canada. His maternal grandparents were German and Nico still has several relatives there whom he looks forward to seeing this summer when his family plans to visit. Despite his lineage, Nico admitted that he never learned to speak the language.
Daws got into hockey on account of his dad’s passion for the game, whom he described as a diehard Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He began skating around the age of three and started out as a forward. At the age of seven, his team was playing in a tournament in the US and no one wanted to play goalie, so Nico willingly volunteered. Despite allowing 16 goals over the course of two games, he fell in love with the position right then and there, citing that he loved being on the ice the entire game unlike his other teammates.
Like his father, Nico also grew up a big Maple Leafs’ fan. When he was starting out as a goalie, he idolized New Jersey Devils’ goaltender Martin Brodeur and later on, Montreal Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price was among his favorites to watch. He enjoyed cheering on several Maple Leafs’ goaltenders over the years and mentioned that one of his favorites was Vesa Toskala, whose jersey was the first that Nico owned as a kid.
After spending his entire youth hockey career in his hometown of Burlington, Ontario, Daws moved away from home for the first time when he began playing juniors for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Fortunately, being just 40 minutes away, his family didn’t have to travel far to visit.
Nico spent three seasons with the Storm and his last was his best, posting 23 wins in 38 appearances and a league-leading .924 save percentage. That same year, the 2019-20 season, Daws represented Team Canada at World Juniors and took home a gold medal. He admitted he wasn’t at the top of his game, going 1-1 in two appearances, but that his one win came against the US, which was all that mattered in his book, he joked.
With the uncertainty of the OHL’s 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Daws leveraged his German citizenship and headed overseas that year to play for ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Despite his familial ties to Germany, he said that playing over there was a bit of an adjustment, from playing on an Olympic-sized rink to adapting to a foreign culture off the ice. Fortunately, he was surrounded by several other North American teammates who helped make the transition easier.
The following season marked the start of Daws’ pro career in North America, and what a start it was. After being sent to the Comets out of Devils’ training camp, he picked up a win in his first ever professional start on October 17th of 2021, making 25 saves in a 6-2 win against Rochester, and was promptly called up to New Jersey where he made his NHL debut less than a week later on October 23rd, posting 24 saves in a 2-1 overtime win against Buffalo. Reflecting on the experience, Daws mentioned, “I thought pro hockey was going to be a breeze after that point, and then you get humbled quickly. I got pulled in my second NHL game and then sent back down to Utica, but it was a surreal week for sure.”
Despite riding an emotional roller coaster early in his rookie year, he learned a lot, notably how to manage the inevitable highs and lows over the course of a season. Nico got a healthy share of reps with the NHL squad that year, picking up 10 wins in 25 games with the Devils while collecting 14 wins in 21 appearances with the Comets. He was happy with his game through his first pro season and had reason to be, especially given the transition of coming from juniors and having played just 10 games in Germany the year prior. The biggest adjustment, he said, was the sheer number of games and travel associated with the pro schedule, along with the increased speed of the game on a smaller ice surface.
Nearing the end of his fifth season in Utica, Daws reflected on his time in the Mohawk Valley. “I’ve loved it. I’ve spent so much time here and it feels like home. I know the city well, the fans are awesome, the hockey’s awesome. It’s been tough the last couple years not being in the playoffs, but I’m hoping we can make a push and get back there for this city.”
The Comets enter the final month of the regular season just six points outside a playoff spot and Daws is a big reason why. On Friday, March 13th, he picked up his 55th win as a Comet in a 5-2 victory over the Laval Rocket, tying Thatcher Demko for the franchise lead in wins among goaltenders. “It’s special. Obviously, everyone wants to make it to the NHL, but to be able to play that many games and have that many wins in this league shows that a lot of people have put their trust in me and I’m super appreciative of that.”
This season, Daws has shared the crease with Czechia native Jakub Malek, imparting his wisdom and experience on the rookie who has continued to hone his own game over the course of the season, making the two netminders a dynamic tandem.
Away from the crease, Daws exercises his mental muscles by playing chess. Although he has yet to discover it for himself, rumor has it that a few of his teammates also have an affinity for the ancient board game. He also enjoys cooking, inspired by his dad who was a chef when he was a kid and exposed the Daws family to fine cuisine for much of Nico’s life.
Daws and the Comets are back at home this Friday, March 20th, at 7 p.m. when they host the Providence Bruins on Racing Night. For tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.