Former QMJHL Forward Still Remains Unsigned as RFA with Devils

As days in August are winding down, a majority of NHL teams have a good idea of their roster compositions for the start of training camp and preseason, about a month away.

But some teams still have notable restricted free agents to sign. Look no further than the New Jersey Devils, who still have former QMJHL forward Dawson Mercer in need of a contract.

Since first being inserted in the lineup in 2021-22, Mercer has not missed a single NHL game, tallying 64 goals and 131 points in 246 games. After a rookie season that saw him score an impressive 17 goals and 42 points, Mercer followed up strong in his sophomore season with 27 goals and 56 points.

However, last season was a rocky ride for Mercer, who took a step back despite expectations of his game elevating. His 20 goals and 33 points place him 8th in scoring on what was a struggling Devils team.

Before becoming an NHL regular, Mercer played four seasons in the QMJHL, split between the Drummondville Voltigeurs, who drafted him 8th in the 2017 QMJHL draft, and the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He was eventually drafted 18th overall in the 2020 NHL draft by the Devils.

Mercer finished his QMJHL career with 84 goals and 186 points in 194 games regular season games. He added another 12 goals and 37 points in 35 playoff games.

According to Puckpedia, the Devils still have just under $5 million in cap space to spend for this upcoming season, giving them plenty of room to sign Mercer. Although we’ve already seen two offer sheets since last week, the likelihood of this happening in Mercer’s case remains low.

Given that Mercer is a young, skilled player with good vision and hockey IQ, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to see him bounce back this upcoming NHL season.