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NHL Rumors: Insider reports Dawson Mercer negotiations with Devils ‘moving slow’ amid ongoing discussions
Restricted free agent Dawson Mercer and the New Jersey Devils are working toward inking a new deal. However, contract talks are not progressing particularly quickly.
Insider David Pagnotta, Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Line, reports that a deal between Mercer and the Devils is still not close.
“It's moving slow at the moment. They are grinding away at it, but there seems to be a lot of work that needs to be done before they get to the finish line,” Pagnotta said per The Fourth Line.
After ending his entry-level contract this past season, the Devils issued Mercer a qualifying offer of $874,000, per PuckPedia. The qualifying offer allows the Devils to keep Mercer’s rights as both sides look to work out a deal.
However, there may be some hesitation on the Devils’ part after what appears to have been a down year for the 22-year-old center. Last season, Mercer notched 20 goals and 33 points in 82 games. However, the point totals were a significant drop from the 27 goals and 56 points from the year before.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference was the huge swing in Dawson Mercer’s plus-minus rating. Mercer went from a plus-22 in 2022-23 to a minus-26 last season. As such, questions have emerged about Mercer’s development, potentially pointing toward significant issues with his overall work ethic.
With training camp right around the corner, both sides will need to pick up the pace to get a deal done. Otherwise, Mercer could end up missing considerable time in camp this fall.
Predicting Dawson Mercer’s new contract with the New Jersey Devils
Assuming both sides want to get a deal done, the main sticking point most likely boils down to term and dollar figures.
During the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts, insider Elliotte Friedman referred to the Dawson Mercer situation, stating the following:
“I look at their cap situation. I just don’t see how a long-term deal works. So I expect this is gonna be a bridge barring they do anything else,” Friedman said per New Jersey Hockey Now.
If that’s indeed the case, the Devils may be looking to sign Mercer at a lower dollar figure, allowing Mercer to show what he’s capable of doing. As such, a bridge deal might consist of a two-year deal with an AAV of around $1 to $2 million.
However, there’s reason to believe the Mercer camp may want a longer-term deal. Perhaps something in the neighborhood of a four or five-year deal might be more enticing. Mainly, a longer-term deal allows Mercer to become an unrestricted free agent when the deal expires.
Ultimately, Dawson Mercer and the Devils will need to compromise at some point in order to avoid missing time this season. Neither side can afford to waste valuable time sitting around waiting for something to happen.
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