Dawson Mercer

Dawson Mercer
Born	(2001-10-27) October 27, 2001 Carbonear, Newfoundland, Canada
Occupation	Professional ice hockey forward
Years active	2017–present
Known for	Playing for the New Jersey Devils in the NHL

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

Early life

Mercer was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland, Canada, to parents Charlotte and Craig. His father works as a powerline technician and previously had a tryout stint with the St. John's Maple Leafs in the AHL, also serving as a local coach. Hockey runs in the family, with his siblings Riley (a goaltender) and Jessica (a defenceman), along with his cousin Zachery Bennett, all actively involved in the sport.

Junior

Raised in Newfoundland, Mercer competed with the Tri Pen Ice U15 AAA team, accumulating 68 points across 24 games. At age 15, he advanced to Bishop's College School’s under-18 varsity squad to further his skills and play alongside his cousin. During his initial season there, he ranked third in scoring with 18 goals and 30 assists over 51 contests, earning a prominent position on the QMJHL Central Scouting list. Subsequently, he was selected eighth overall by the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the 2017 QMJHL Draft.

In his rookie year in the QMJHL, Mercer tallied 26 points over 68 matches and was named to Team Canada's Black squad for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. During the 2019–20 season, he amassed 60 points in just 42 games and received a nomination for the Michael Bossy Trophy.

Professional

Mercer inked a three-year entry-level deal with the New Jersey Devils on December 24, 2020. He made his NHL debut on October 15, 2021, assisting on a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. Just four days later, he netted his first NHL goal facing the Seattle Kraken. Throughout his rookie campaign, Mercer led the Devils with 42 points while appearing in all 82 games.

On April 27, 2023, Mercer scored his inaugural NHL playoff goal during a commanding 4–0 win against the New York Rangers in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In his final season under entry-level terms in 2023, Mercer played every game (82), recording 20 goals and totaling 33 points. Remaining a restricted free agent until training camp commenced, he signed a three-year contract on September 20, 2024, valued at $12 million overall with an average annual value of $4 million.

International play

Mercer made his international debut representing the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he helped secure a gold medal. He returned for the following year’s tournament held within Edmonton’s COVID-19 bubble environment in 2021; Canada claimed silver after falling to the United States. Mercer described this fanless setting as an unprecedented circumstance that will be remembered historically.

Following the 2021-22 NHL season, after the Devils failed to qualify for playoffs, Mercer joined Canada’s senior national team at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. Demonstrating strong faceoff skills, he contributed significantly as Canada advanced to the final and earned silver after losing to Finland. He again represented Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
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
NHL totals				328	83	84	167	87		17	5	4	9	10

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2017	Canada Black	U17	7th place		2 |0 |2 |0
2020	Canada	WJC	Template:Gold1		0 |0 |0 |0
2021	Canada	WJC	Template:Silver2		2 |4 |6 |2
2022	Canada	WC	Template:Silver2		0 |5 |5 |0
2024	Canada	WC	4th place		3 |1 |4 |4
Junior totals					19 !4 !4 !8 !2
Senior totals					19 !3 !6 !9 !4

Awards and honors

Award	Year

|- ! colspan="3"|Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) |} |- | Guy Carbonneau Trophy | (2021) | |}