Devils Have Options With Dawson Mercer This Season

The New Jersey Devils answered a number of questions this offseason, following a myriad of roster upgrades. After trading Simon Nemec and Jacob Markstrom, the club received several draft picks and depth scorers in return. Their top six has also been revitalized, with the additions of Anthony Mantha and Luke Evangelista.

Rookie camp began on Friday, and veterans will hit the ice at Prudential Center on Wednesday. With so many changes throughout the summer, fans are eager to see how the Devils’ offensive lines will shake out this season. But one of the biggest uncertainties is where Dawson Mercer will fit into the equation. Here are three possible outcomes for him heading into 2026-27.

1) Keep the Meier-Hischier-Mercer Line

The most obvious choice would be for Mercer to remain on a line with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier, which is where he spent most of last season. The unit had positive possession metrics, including a 53.17 shots for percentage (SF%) and a high-danger scoring chance percentage of 61.26%. According to MoneyPuck, they also averaged 3.16 expected goals and 67.06 shot attempts every 60 minutes. This was head coach Sheldon Keefe’s chosen line to deploy against opposing teams’ top units. 

While Mercer did not put up numbers similar to his 2022-23 breakout campaign, he still reached the 20-goal threshold for the third time in his career. Last season, he finished sixth overall for the club with 42 points, as well as a career-high of 18:14 ice time per game. More importantly, he appeared in all 82 games last season, setting a new franchise streak with his 402nd consecutive contest.

In the past, his involvement on the Devils’ top lines came from necessity due to injury or a lack of another elite wing. Should the Meier-Hischier-Mercer line stay intact, he’ll have a lot to prove this season — especially with newcomers set to snag top-six minutes. Overall, it will be interesting to see whether or not this tried-and-true combination can deliver this season.

2) Third-Line Depth Scoring

The second option that the Devils have is to use Mercer to strengthen their depth scoring. By putting him on the right side of the third or fourth line, he could still limit opposing scoring chances while also focusing on contributing offensively. The expectation is that he would log significant minutes, but this role could better complement his two-way abilities.

I believe that he could make a significant impact on the third line with Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass, a pair that had major chemistry together last season. A Gritsyuk-Glass-Mercer line combination did not appear in 2025-26, but Mercer found success with both players separately.