The New Jersey Devils have announced they signed restricted free agent forward Dawson Mercer to a three-year deal worth $12 million. Mercer’s new contract carries a salary cap hit of $4 million.
Three years at $4 mil per for Dawson Mercer and the Devils. Sounds like it was finalized last night during the Jets/Pats game. ?
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 20, 2024
When asked about his contract status, the New Jersey Devils and Mercer were very close to an extension, as President/GM Tom Fitzgerald stated on Thursday, Day 1 of training camp.
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald Says Dawson Mercer Deal is Close
As DevilsNation.com has documented all summer, the New Jersey Devils could only sign a three-year bridge deal. The Devils had about 4.7 million in salary cap space, so a long-term contract was out of the question. Mercer was coming out of his entry-level deal with a salary cap hit of $894,167. Per PuckPedia.com, he made around $1.3 million a season for the Devils, the way the contract was structured and the bonuses he received.
Mercer was looking for a bump on this entry-level contract. The question was whether the annual average value would be. During the offseason, players like Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators and Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets signed new short teams with their respective clubs. Pinto signed an AAV of $3.75 million, while Marchenko signed an AAV of $3.85 million.
Could Dawson Mercer Get a Similar Contract to Shane Pinto
There was a gap to bridge for the Devils and Mercer. Ideally, the Devils General Manager would have liked to get him in that $3 million to $3.5 million range, but with a rising salary cap and Mercer’s ability to play in phases of the game, that was not feasible. In 246 regular-season games, Mercer has recorded 131 points (64 goals and 67 assists).
He is coming off a year where he recorded 33 points (20 goals and 13 assists). His best season came when 56 points (27 goals and 29 assists) helped the Devils reach the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Fitzgerald always saw Mercer as part of the future of the Devils. He can play in the top six and earn even more money on his next deal. Given the salary cap situation, this contract is just a step in the right direction to keep Dawson Mercer a part of the Devils long-term. The contract runs through 2027, and Mercer will still be an RFA. Now, he can prove what he can make on a long-term extension.
This is a significant deal for the Devils to get done because they needed Mercer at training camp with a new head coach implementing a new system. Now, with Mercer extending with the Devils, all the panic and fear can be suppressed.
