The clock is ticking for NHL teams hoping to lock in one more long-term contract before the league’s new rules change the board. After September 16, 2026, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will limit re-signing deals to seven years and cap new-player contracts at six. That makes the next two weeks a narrow window for clubs that still want to hand out an eight-year commitment.
For the Devils, that question circles right back to Dawson Mercer.
New Jersey has nine players set to become free agents in 2027, so the front office has plenty to sort through. But Mercer stands out as the most interesting candidate if the Devils decide to strike now and beat the deadline.
Mercer’s path so far has been uneven, but there’s still a strong case for betting on him. He’s spent his entire young career with New Jersey after going to the Devils in the first round of the 2020 draft and making his debut in 2021-22. His best season came in 2022-23, when he posted 56 points in 82 regular-season games and added seven points in 12 playoff games.
Since then, he’s been working his way back toward that level. Last season, he finished with 42 points.
Even so, the Devils have continued to trust him in meaningful spots. At 5-on-5, he skates on the top line with Hischier centering and Meier on the wing.
He also handles center duties on the second power-play unit and logs time on the first penalty-kill group.
That usage matters. Mercer wasn’t one of the Devils’ top five scorers this past season, but his role says the team still sees value in him - and maybe more if his production catches up to the opportunities.
There’s also the contract side of the argument. Mercer has only been on relatively cheap three-year deals so far, and when he signed his most recent one, which runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, he said he loved New Jersey and felt at home there.
He’s already given the Devils solid value by playing all 82 games in every season of his career. He can shift between wing and center, and he’s still younger than some of the other players who landed eight-year deals this offseason, including Alex Tuch and Jack Eichel.
Still, the Devils have reasons to hesitate. Cap space is one issue, and potential is another.
New Jersey just signed Hischier, and the team has those nine looming free agents to think about next season. Managing all of that will be part of Mehta’s year, for sure.
The bigger question is whether Mercer has done enough to justify such a long commitment right now. He hasn’t fully reached the level the Devils have hoped for, and there’s a chance he slides down the lineup a bit next season. That makes this season a chance to evaluate him further before deciding whether he’s the kind of player worth tying down for eight years.
With the September 16 deadline approaching, the Devils don’t have much time to make that call.
In Other News...
Devils Just Got Linked To A Goalie Upgrade Fans Will Debate
Connor Hellebuycks public trade request has instantly turned one of the NHLs biggest goalie questions into a fresh round of speculation, and the Devils are already getting pulled into the conversation. Any time a proven No. 1 becomes available, New Jersey is bound to be mentioned, especially with a roster built to push for more and a fan base that knows how much elite goaltending can matter when the games get tight.
A hypothetical framework has already surfaced that would send Hellebuyck to New Jersey in exchange for several players and a first-round pick, which is enough to spark debate even before anything real develops. For now, though, there is no sign the Devils and Jets have actually talked, and no indication a deal is close, so this remains the kind of rumor that says as much about the market for top goalies as it does about New Jerseys intentions. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Suddenly Linked To A Goalie Move Fans Can't Ignore
The conversation around Connor Hellebuyck has widened beyond Winnipeg and now includes several contenders that would feel the ripple effects if the Jets ever decided to move their star goalie. Among the clubs mentioned are Buffalo, Carolina and New Jersey, with the discussion centered on what kind of return could justify dealing a player of that caliber, including prospects and draft capital. It is the sort of offseason chatter that starts as speculation and quickly becomes a leaguewide talking point once a name that big is in play.
For the Devils, the interest is obvious because goaltending is one of the few areas that can reshape a season in a hurry, and any plausible path to upgrading there will draw attention. The broader analysis from Murat Ates and Anthony Di Marco does not point to a deal as imminent, but it does put New Jersey in the same conversation as some of the other teams that would be watching closely if Winnipeg ever seriously entertained offers. For now, it is more a map of possibilities than a deal on the horizon, which is enough to keep Devils fans reading every twist. [Read more 🡒]
Timo Meier Suddenly Has No Excuse In New Devils Experiment
Timo Meiers first two seasons in New Jersey have left the Devils looking for a better return on an eight-year commitment that was supposed to bring consistent top-end production. His goal totals have slid each year, which has only sharpened the scrutiny around how the club deploys him and whether his game can be nudged back toward the level that made him such an attractive long-term bet in the first place.
Luke Evangelista is the latest attempt to solve that puzzle. New Jersey acquired the skilled winger with the hope that his passing touch and offensive instincts can help spark Meier the way he once helped fuel a scoring surge for Steven Stamkos, giving the Devils a new look around a player who suddenly has fewer excuses to settle for the same results. [Read more 🡒]