Dawson Mercer is one of the most frustrating players for New Jersey Devils fans after an incredible start to his career. He had 27 goals and 29 assists in his second NHL season. It looked like the Devils had another 30-goal scorer on their hands to pair with Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier. He was going to be a part of the team’s core.
Then, he started to go in the wrong direction. In Year 3, Mercer had seven fewer goals and 16 fewer assists. It was an insane drop off for a guy who had no injury. Mercer has never missed an NHL game over four seasons, but his results aren’t the same as they were in 2022-23.
Devils fans thought this was going to be a top asset for the Devils. There are rumors the Devils resisted moving Mercer in trades for Connor Hellebuyck, Juuse Saros, Ryan O’Reilly, Timo Meier, and others. They left trades on the table over the Mercer ask.
Today, some are saying Mercer is best as a cap dump rather than on this roster. With around $6 million in cap space and Luke Hughes left to sign, the Devils could use another $4 million to play around with. That’s what Mercer is making over the next two seasons.
It’s a precipitous fall for Mercer, who was once considered on a rising trajectory. Now, Devils fans don’t know how to react to this.
It sounds similar to what New York Yankees fans are dealing with. Anthony Volpe was once considered the heir apparent to Derek Jeter. They couldn’t trade this guy. He was the next great shortstop in this game.
That… hasn’t happened. And nothing shows that it ever will happen.
Volpe had two errors on Tuesday night, a stat that he’s leading the league in. This is a guy who won a Gold Glove in 2023, and now he leads the league in errors.
And it’s not like his bat is answering for the mistakes his glove makes. He’s hitting .216 this season with 15 home runs. The power numbers are decent, just like Mercer’s goal numbers are decent, but the inconsistency is maddening. Yankees fans want a player who shows up when it matters. A player who has left 62 players in scoring position, which also leads MLB, is simply falling well below expectations.
The Yankees have a decision to make, and it seems the Devils already made their Dawson Mercer decision. Despite rumors swirling that he was getting moved, Mercer remains on the roster as we head into August. That means it’s more likely than not he’s sticking around.
Anthony Volpe and Dawson Mercer have similar career trajectories
Can Mercer or Volpe bounce back? Both have an opportunity ahead of them. The Devils have an open spot in the top six that Mercer can secure. Or, he could be their answer at 3C. Either way, Mercer has an opportunity to prove to the Devils that he is a part of their future core. One bad season won’t undo everything, but too many bad seasons in a row make someone a bad player.
Volpe, on the other hand, has a chance to replace all the bad he’s done if he has a great stretch run. Even more important is the playoffs. If Volpe inexplicably has a great playoff run, he could become a Yankees’ legend.
Same goes for Mercer. If the Devils make the playoffs next season and he plays a big role, he goes down as a legendary player. It could be the start of something great.
With both of these players, the frustration shouldn’t boil over. Let things work themselves out. The demand is high for both of them after their mistakes, but they both have an opportunity to erase history and rewrite their careers.