The New Jersey Devils already moved one major trade chip this summer, and that only makes Dawson Mercer loom larger in the conversation.
New Jersey had been viewed as a team that might make a big swing to show its players it was all-in on winning. With the club on the cusp of playoff contention, the idea was that another top player could have fit neatly alongside Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.
At one point, the thinking was that Mercer and Simon Nemec could be bundled together to land that kind of upgrade. That path is gone now.
Before the draft, the Devils sent Nemec to the Calgary Flames for two first-round picks and prospect Etienne Morin. Those picks are top-10 protected, but the return still wasn’t disastrous, especially given how Nemec had been playing and the congestion New Jersey had on the blue line. Some fans would have preferred to see what Nemec could become in New Jersey, but the relationship may already have been beyond repair.
That leaves Mercer as the more interesting name. The Devils are still open to testing his market, but if the only thing they get back is future assets, it becomes harder to tell what direction the franchise is actually headed.
Mercer and Nemec together would have made a cleaner route to a star for a retooling team. On his own, Mercer probably doesn’t bring back the kind of massive haul that changes everything.
Even so, Mercer should still draw real interest around the league, especially if he’s part of a larger package that includes some of those first-round picks in a deal for a top-six forward. The Newfoundland and Labrador center does spend time on the wing in the top six, but his best value comes from his two-way play down the middle. If a team wants to get the most out of him, he fits best as a third-line center.
What makes Mercer so appealing is the reliability. He played 82 games in each of his first five seasons, and his lowest goal total is 17, which came in his rookie year.
He also had a 27-goal season, and his scoring profile looks like a steady 20-goal pace, which is solid production for a middle-six forward. He can kill penalties, handle top-line defensive work, and contribute on the power play when called upon.
So New Jersey is left with the same basic question: is it worth moving Mercer for a bigger piece, or would the Devils miss his steady two-way game more than they expect? They have to keep looking for ways to improve, but unless a Mercer deal brings back a true difference-maker, the cost may end up being too high.
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