Devils Sign Former First-Round Pick to Three-Year Deal

Mercer, who turns 23 next month, was one of four notable RFAs still unsigned after training camps began this week.

Now, only Nikita Alexandrov, Cole Perfetti, and Jeremy Swayman remain without deals among RFAs who played significant NHL time last season.

The 2020 No. 18 overall pick had a down year but still managed to score 20 goals despite career lows in assists (13), points (33), and rating (-26).

Mercer is a talented shooter with a 14.3% success rate on his 449 shots over three years. He’s also very durable, having never missed a game since his NHL debut in the 2021-22 season. Although he’s naturally a center, he often plays on the wing because the Devils have Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes as their top centers and Mercer struggles with faceoffs. Last year, he won just under 45% of his draws but has a career win rate of only 39%. Despite this, he showed his potential by posting 56 points during New Jersey’s strong season in 2022-23 .

Negotiation Challenges:

General manager Tom Fitzgerald mentioned they were close to an agreement over a month ago but finalizing it took considerable effort. There were frequent updates that both sides were working hard to get Mercer signed and into training camp quickly. Fans might feel relieved now that the deal is done.

Last season, Mercer averaged a career-high of over 17 minutes per game and played significant roles on both special teams units. This year, he aims for more consistency in the top-six role at even strength. Early training camp lineups suggest he could start alongside Hughes and Timo Meier.

The Devils now have $976K in projected cap space with an open roster spot after Mercer’s signing. This assumes defenseman Luke Hughes will start the season on standard injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.

Cap Space Management:

Keeping Mercer’s cap hit at $4M allows the Devils to maintain a full roster without placing Hughes on long-term injured reserve for extra cap space. Santeri Hatakka is likely to fill in as an extra defender after contributing two assists and maintaining a +5 rating in limited action last season.

A three-year contract means Mercer won’t reach unrestricted free agency when it ends after the 2026-27 season.

What do you think about Mercer’s new deal?