Recently, Dawson Mercer scored bookend goals in New Jersey's four-goal second period, propelling the New Jersey Devils to a 5-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday in Newark. It was his first multi-goal game this season.
As such, it's extremely important for Devils fans to fully realize the depth Mercer brings to the roster and his significance as of late.
Mercer being key to the New Jersey Devils should come as no surprise, given his resume. In international play he helped Canada to a gold medal at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and silver the following year. He played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, with Drummondville and Chicoutimi, leading the latter as an assistant captain with 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 2020-21.
Mercer is a big part of the investment the New Jersey Devils made in their future when they traded Taylor Hall, the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner voted as NHL most valuable player, to the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 16, 2019, for the right to take the Carbonear, Newfoundland, native with the No. 18 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Flashing back to the present — the Canadian ice hockey center has recorded an average of 1.9 shots on goal per game throughout January. Going into more specifics on Wednesday's matchup, Mercer thrived on the third line. His pairing had a combined eight shots on goal, the highest among all Devils lines of the game. Likewise, Mercer’s group created three scoring chances and one rush attempt. With all of these positive statistics, it was no wonder that Mercer was able to score two goals, the first of which tied the game at one.
There’s a reason why Mercer was the only Devils' player to be deployed in every game during the 2021-22 season. And while the 23-year-old has not yet reached his prime, his durability will be more valuable now than ever. Mercer’s role in the Devils’ bottom six cannot be understated, especially in the absence of key players, including captain Nico Hischier and veteran forward Erik Haula. Mercer will remain a valuable asset now that the team won’t have Jacob Markstrom, either, for the next 4-6 weeks.
So far this season, Mercer has 23 points and a plus-10 rating, as compared to a minus-26 from last season. Among his 12 goals, Mercer has scored two power-play goals and two game-winning goals. Currently, he is on pace to score 37 points this year. A large part of Mercer’s scoring capabilities comes from his skating speed. Mercer ranks in the 89th percentile in speed bursts over 20 miles per hour. Another added benefit for the Devils’ fast and furious style of play.
As of late, Mercer has been at the forefront of New Jersey's efforts. He is in the first year of his three-year, $12 million contract extension with New Jersey and will remain on the Devils’ roster through the 2026-27 season.
As he reaches his prime, it is certain that Mercer will remain an important piece of the Devils’ franchise.