New Jersey Devils have locked in 22 year-old forward Dawson Mercer for another three years for 12 million according to reports. The Newfoundland native has been a model of consistency since being drafted in 2020 by the Devils, playing in all 82 games for the franchise through three seasons.
Mercer didn’t debut with the Devils until the 2021-22 campaign where he instantly became an everyday starter. Head coach Lindy Ruff saw his development through until March of this year when Ruff was fired due to poor standing in the division. Now, under new head coach Sheldon Keefe, Mercer has a chance to show that last year’s career low in point total is an anomaly and that he is ready to be a part of what is expected to be an exciting Devils squad.
On a positive note, Mercer has back-to-back 20 goal seasons with 2022-23 being his most productive with 27 goals and 29 assists. Last season his assist total dropped dramatically to just 13 but the team overall underperformed when a playoff berth was the least to be expected.
Now that the 2024-25 preseason is getting underway this weekend, the Devils have high expectations. While they aren’t listed as a Stanley Cup contender, many see them as a solid team in the Metropolitan division and one that won’t see a lack of playoff success as acceptable. The high profile signing of goalkeeper Jacob Markstrom is paramount to that success and the additional depth with the extension to Mercer is something that will keep teams honest as the season begins in a few weeks.