The New Jersey Devils have been remarkably quiet throughout August and September. They did the majority of their work in the first week of July. He did add a few things, like re-signing Nolan Foote and signing four players to PTOs, including Kevin Labanc. However, for about 10 weeks now, Devils fans have been waiting for one move in particular.
Dawson Mercer still doesn't have a contract. The Devils report to training camp on Wednesday, and one of their important players is still not done. Do the Devils absolutely need Mercer on this roster right away? Yes,they do. The top six isn't complete without him, and the team can't afford to have a player of his caliber trying to learn Sheldon Keefe's system on the fly.
New reports from The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta claims that the Devils and Mercer continue to grind to a deal. There are two options on the table.
The Devils & RFA Dawson Mercer are also grinding away at a short-term contract. Daily talks have continued; I'm told 2-yr & 3-yr deals on the table, matter of the dollars. https://t.co/CBhV2jY3QN
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) September 17, 2024
If the Devils are choosing between giving Mercer two years or three years, it's obvious what they should do. Term is very important for a Mercer deal, as they should have learned in previous deals with Jesper Bratt. The Devils are primed for a bridge deal based on the salary cap situation, but they should shoot for a three-year deal.
Imagine if the Devils just signed Bratt to a three-year deal in 2020. They would have avoided so much drama and likely just sign the same contract he signed at this point anyway.
With Mercer, nobody is expecting him to turn into Jesper Bratt, one of the best left wings in the league. However, it's not out of the question. Mercer actually has better numbers than Bratt at this point in his career. So, if he has similar growth trajectory, Mercer could be better. That possibility should have the Devils pushing for a longer-term deal.
A three-year deal also gives the Devils a really easy landing spot for Mercer's next deal. The Devils have both Stefan Noesen and Ondrej Palat coming off the books that year, giving them $9 million coming off the books (including whatever Mercer makes). It would make it harder because Mercer's deal would end at the same time as Nico Hischier's deal, but we expect the Devils to lock up their captain way before he gets close to free agency.
The Devils should try to sign Mercer now, coming off his worst season as a pro. It was so clearly a situation where he failed under impossible circumstances. Lindy Ruff never used him correctly in 2023-24. Keefe should fall in love with Mercer based on who he fell in love with in Toronto. They should make sure he's in training camp as soon as possible.