Jon Merrill

Jon Merrill
Born	(1992-02-03) February 3, 1992 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupation	Professional ice hockey defenseman
Years active	2013–present
Known for	NHL player for New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild

Jonathon Merrill (born February 3, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently an unrestricted free agent. Throughout his NHL career, he has been rostered by the New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Minnesota Wild. Merrill was chosen 38th overall in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils.

Early life

Originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Merrill relocated with his family to Grand Blanc, Michigan, when he was three years old. He started playing ice hockey at age four alongside his older brother and advanced through the Detroit Little Caesars youth program, including competing in the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. A lifelong fan of the Detroit Red Wings, he was given the honor of carrying a flag during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs. Merrill spent two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) near Brighton, Michigan, tallying one goal and eight assists over 22 games in the 2009–10 campaign. During his time with the NTDP, he and three teammates were suspended due to disciplinary issues.

College

Prior to turning professional, Merrill competed at the NCAA level with the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey squad. He faced a suspension for the initial 12 games of the 2011–12 season imposed by the University of Michigan for breaching team regulations.

New Jersey Devils (2013–2017)

Merrill inked a three-year entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils on March 27, 2013. He commenced the 2013–14 season playing for the Albany Devils in the American Hockey League (AHL).

His NHL debut occurred on November 3, 2013, facing off against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Early in that game, he suffered significant facial cuts and a concussion after colliding with the boards.

Merrill netted his first NHL goal on February 7, 2014—an overtime winner against goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov of the Edmonton Oilers, marking him as the first Devil to score their inaugural NHL goal in overtime.

Vegas Golden Knights (2017–2020)

On June 21, 2017, Merrill was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He subsequently agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $2.75 million on January 16, 2018.

Detroit Red Wings (2020–2021)

Following three seasons in Vegas, Merrill signed a one-year deal valued at $925,000 with the Detroit Red Wings on October 9, 2020. In the abbreviated 2020–21 season, he contributed five assists across 36 games before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens on April 11, 2021. The trade involved Hayden Verbeek and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft moving to Detroit.

Montreal Canadiens (2021)

During his time with Montreal, Merrill appeared in 13 regular-season contests and participated in all 13 playoff games as the Canadiens advanced to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Minnesota Wild (2021–present)

As a free agent after leaving Montreal, Merrill signed a one-year contract worth $850,000 with the Minnesota Wild on July 29, 2021. He later secured a three-year extension valued at $3.6 million on January 11, 2022.

International competition

Jon Merrill made his international debut representing the United States at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he recorded two assists over seven matches and helped secure a gold medal against Sweden. He repeated this achievement at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, contributing one assist in seven games and being named among Team USA's top three performers.

Personal details

Jon Merrill is married to Jessica Merrill, with whom he actively supports LGBTQ advocacy. He openly criticized the NHL's prohibition on themed jerseys, particularly those worn for Pride Night, after some players chose not to participate in warm-ups rather than wear them. The couple received the "2024 Allies of the Year" award from Twin Cities Pride in recognition of their efforts.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	U.S. NTDP U17	USDP		24	2	1	3	18		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	U.S. NTDP U18	USDP		19	1	4	5	6		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	U.S. NTDP U18	NAHL		26	2	2	4	14		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	U.S. NTDP Juniors	USHL		22	1	8	9	12		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	U.S. NTDP U17	USDP		2	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	U.S. NTDP U18	USDP		56	5	27	32	18		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	University of Michigan	CCHA		42	7	18	25	16		—	—	—	—	—
[[2011–12 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|	University of Michigan	CCHA		19	2	9	11	15		—	—	—	—	—
[[2012–13 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|	University of Michigan	CCHA		21	2	9	11	14		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13 AHL season	Albany Devils	AHL		12	1	7	8	4		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14 AHL season	Albany Devils	AHL		15	2	8	10	0		4	1	1	2	10
2013–14 NHL season	New Jersey Devils	NHL		52	2	9	11	12
colspan="3" NHL totals !682 !24 !91 !115 !321 !39 !0 !2 !2 !12

International

Year	Team	Tournament	Placement		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009	United States	U18	Template:Gold1		7	0	2	2	4
2010	United States	U18	Template:Gold1		7	0	1	1	2
2011	United States	WJC	Template:Bronze3		6	1	4	5	0
2012	United States	WJC	7th place		6	0	4	4	6
2022	United States	WC	Fourth place		1	0	0	0	0
Junior career totals					25	1	11	12	12
Senior career totals					1	0	0	0	0

Awards and honors

Award	Year

2011 |