By definition, self-confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment.
It is a huge component of a professional athlete’s overall makeup and can make or break their performance.
No one knows this better than a goaltender in the NHL.
“When you have confidence, the game is so easy,” New Jersey Devils netminder Nico Daws said to The Hockey News. “The second you lose it, it is so hard to get it back.”
At 24 years old, Daws is experiencing the mental ebbs and flows that are part of the development players in his position deal with, while his goaltending partner, Jake Allen, has already lived it.
“Everyone goes through it,” Allen said. “There are not many goalies that don’t go through it. If they don’t, then I would like to meet them. It is just part of the game. It is impossible in today’s world not to have bad games in this position. It is just the nature of the position.”
Daws was called up from the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League on Feb. 1 and played his first NHL game this season a few nights later against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 4. He earned a 3-2 shootout victory for his 20th career NHL win.
Sep 26, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) is sprayed during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
It was a quality return to the League for Daws after a difficult start with the Comets, who struggled to start the 2024-25 season as a team.
Before his call-up, Daws revealed to The Hockey News that things had been tough for him between the losses that piled up in October and a lower-body injury that kept him off the ice around the holidays.
Even still, his confidence grew as the calendar year progressed, and he focused on the mental side of goaltending.
“You can play 10 amazing games in a row, and then you play one bad game, and you feel a little shaky right away,” Daws shared. “It is something I am trying to work on, just letting go of the past and focusing on the present.”
“I have been in a lot of these young guy’s shoes,” Allen said. “A lot of times, they put their own pressure on themselves, more so than there actually is, and I think that is the realistic viewpoint.”
That self-imposed pressure can be daunting for young players who, game to game, don’t have full control over their stat lines.
“I think the minute that you can accept your stats are your stats and not worry about them, the better off you are,” Allen said. “Goaltending stats, to me, is a very conversational piece. I don’t really believe in it a ton. It gives you a baseline, but at the same time, it doesn’t really (paint the whole picture), especially in today’s game, where there are not many shots.
“But also, at the same time, your team could be playing a great game, and you might not be playing a great game,” Allen continued. “It goes back and forth. It is the nature of the position. That is why it is a team sport. Sometimes you have their back, and sometimes they have yours.”
© David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Allen’s reflective demeanor starkly contrasts with Daws, who is still learning to become an NHL goaltender.
As Allen sat in his stall before the Devils’ final road trip before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, The Hockey News asked him how long it takes to be comfortable as an NHL goaltender.
“It took me a while,” he said. “I would probably say four or five or even six years after I started playing in the league. I think if you ask (Jacob Markstrom) too; it is probably around 30 years old when you really start figuring it out. It takes a long time.”
Daws has 48 career NHL games and 86 AHL games experience. He still has a way to go before he gains the knowledge and perspicacity of 34-year-old Allen, but he is continuing to learn and evolve.
“I think I am taking some big steps, and I am excited for the future.”
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