Dawson Mercer

Dawson Mercer (born October 27, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 18th overall by the Devils in the 2020 NHL entry draft.

Early life Mercer was born on October 27, 2001, in Carbonear, Newfoundland, to parents Charlotte and Craig. His father is a powerline technician while his mother manages a convenience store. His father also coached in the Conception Bay North area and had a tryout with the American Hockey League’s St. John's Maple Leafs. His cousin Zachery Bennett also plays ice hockey.

Playing career

Junior Growing up in Newfoundland, Mercer played for the Tri Pen Ice U15 AAA in the Newfoundland Bantam AAA league. He chose to leave his home province in part to increase his playing ability and join his cousin. In his first season at Bishop, he finished third in scoring with 18 goals and 30 assists through 51 games to earn a high ranking by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Central Scouting.

As a rookie in the QMJHL, Mercer recorded 26 points through 68 games. In the 2019–20 season, he finished with 60 points in 42 games and was nominated for the Michael Bossy Trophy.

Professional On December 24, 2020, Mercer was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the New Jersey Devils. He made his NHL debut the following season on October 15, 2021, against the Chicago Blackhawks. During the game, he recorded his first career NHL assist on a goal by Andreas Johnsson. On October 19, Mercer scored his first NHL goal against the Seattle Kraken. He would finish his rookie season with 42 points, and led the team in games played with 82.

On April 27, 2023, Mercer scored his first NHL playoff goal against the New York Rangers, in a 4–0 shutout in game 5 of the 2023 playoffs.

Following the final year of his entry-level contract in 2023–24, a season in which he recorded 20 goals and 33 points while playing in all 82 games for the Devils, Mercer remained a restricted free agent until training camp had already started. On September 20, 2024, after missing the first practice of camp, he was signed to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $4 million.

International play

Mercer made his international debut with the Canadian national junior team at the 2020 World Junior Championships, winning a gold medal. He rejoined Canada for 2021 World Junior Championships, held in a bubble in Edmonton as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. They reached the final for a second consecutive year, but were defeated by the United States. Mercer reflected that the experience of a tournament with no fans in the arena was a "unique situation," one that he felt was "going to be remembered in history."

Following the 2021–22 NHL regular season, with the Devils failing to qualify for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Mercer accepted an invitation to make his senior national team debut at the 2022 World Championship. He was one of the most effective faceoff men in the tournament, helping Canada reach the event final. They were defeated by Finland, taking the silver medal. Two years later, Mercer rejoined Canada for the 2024 World Championship.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2017–18 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 61 11 15 26 25 10 1 3 4 0 2018–19 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 68 30 34 64 50 16 5 11 16 8 2019–20 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 26 18 24 42 21 — — — — — 2019–20 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 16 6 12 18 4 — — — — — 2020–21 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 23 19 17 36 6 9 6 11 17 4 2021–22 New Jersey Devils NHL 82 17 25 42 28 — — — — — 2022–23 New Jersey Devils NHL 82 27 29 56 14 12 3 4 7 2 2023–24 New Jersey Devils NHL 82 20 13 33 29 — — — — — 2024–25 New Jersey Devils NHL 82 19 17 36 16 5 2 0 2 8 2025–26 New Jersey Devils NHL 82 20 22 42 33 — — — — —NHL totals 410 103 106 209 120 17 5 4 9 10

International

Awards and honors Award Year RefQMJHL Guy Carbonneau Trophy 2021