The Devils are actively negotiating a contract with restricted free agent forward Dawson Mercer and are hopeful that a bridge deal will be reached before training camp starts on Wednesday, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic.
Negotiations had stalled over the summer, but New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald recently mentioned to James Murphy of Responsible Gambling that he and Mercer’s representatives had exchanged proposals and were moving towards a deal. Reports suggest that a short-term contract is the most likely outcome. Earlier this month, PHR’s Brian La Rose explored potential comparables for Mercer’s contract, focusing on short-term options.
The Devils currently have under $5 million in cap space available, according to PuckPedia. This amount could increase slightly if defenseman Luke Hughes is placed on long-term injured reserve while recovering from a shoulder injury. However, they would still need to create enough cap space to activate Hughes quickly, as his absence is expected to last only until early November.
Given Mercer’s performance last season, a bridge deal with a cap hit below $5 million seems reasonable for both parties. Despite having a challenging third NHL season with career lows in assists (13), plus-minus rating (-26), and shots on goal (134), Mercer played all 82 games and maintained a high average time on ice (17:13). He will turn 23 in October and reached 20 goals for the second time. Although his production this season indicated a role more suited for a third-line position, his previous performance suggests that his contract year was an anomaly, impacting his short-term earnings.
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