Dawson Mercer Won’t Report to New Jersey Devils Training Camp, What it Means

While veterans report to New Jersey Devils training camp today, forward Dawson Mercer will not report.

Mercer remains a restricted free-agent and due to the lack of a contract, he is not with the team for the start of training camp. Of course, Wednesday is just media day and the on-ice activities begin on Thursday.

Therefore, there is still time for Mercer to not have to miss any time on the ice.

But, as of Tuesday night, although progress was made in the negotiations, the two sides weren’t close on a deal as of Wednesday morning.

The belief is the Devils and Dawson Mercer are working on a bridge-deal. A two or three-year contract seems likely, and it’s believed the term isn’t what is holding up putting pen to paper. Instead, it’s the dollars and cents that have yet to be agreed upon.

Mercer, 22, completed his third season in 2023-24, scoring 20 goals and 33 points. That was a bit of a regression from his 2022-23 performance, in which he registered 27 goals and 56 points.

Although Mercer didn’t perform up to expectations last season, he’s undoubtedly one of the Devils’ most durable players. In each of the first three seasons, Mercer participated in all 82 games, plus 12 playoff contests in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 22-year-old forward figures to be a fixture in the Devils’ top-six alongside one of Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. General manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke of Mercer by name as one of the forwards he’s looking at to step up in 2024-25. New Jersey didn’t necessarily replace Tyler Toffoli‘s 35-goal pace he provided before traded to the Winnipeg Jets at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.

There’s no reason to ring the alarm yet on Mercer’s participation in the 2024-25 season. But, if Mercer doesn’t sign by Dec. 1st, he will become ineligible to play until 2025-26.