Confirmed with Link: (F) Dawson Mercer re-signs with NJD (3 years, $4M AAV)

[JimEIV]

I don't understand what's happening. You were angry because he was dicked around and angry because there is no way he's going to sign a contract that keeps him for 3 years at a reasonable number and now angry on his behalf that it happened.

Mercer is a Devil, he's got 3 years to prove he deserves a shit ton more cash and the team has 3 years to make shit happen.

It's like you were preemptively upset the last week about something that didnt happen yet because you were so sure it would and then it didn't and instead of saying, ok good, you are manufacturing something to stay upset about. Just move on.

I was angery that he was going to get robbed after we've been handing out contracts like candy for the last few years ...and he was robbed... I never wanted him to do 3 years....3 years was always going to be bad for Mercer.

Mercer's deal was going to be about facilitating Luke's, Simon and Nico's next contracts...he did that for them and got bent over the barrel. I wonder if Mercer heard the banjos while Fitz had him up against the tree?

 

[Devils731]

Dawson Mercer got a pretty standard RFA deal in a pretty standard way; not anally raped.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I was angery that he was going to get robbed after we've been handing out contracts like candy for the last few years ...and he was robbed... I never wanted him to do 3 years....3 years was always going to be bad for Mercer.

Mercer's deal was going to be about facilitating Luke's, Simon and Nico's next contracts...he did that for them and got bent over the barrel. I wonder if Mercer heard the banjos while Fitz had him up against the tree?

If Mercer lights up the league over the next three years, cap will be way up and he will be ready to sign a long massive contract if he deserves. He signed this one. He's fine with it. He will be fine.

 

[Cheddabombs]

It really isn't that bad of a deal for Mercer. It's also a nice deal for the team that can help with structuring the rest of the team, which I would imagine most people care more about. Are we fans of the Devils, and wanting the team to succeed, or only fans of Mercer?

 

[JimEIV]

If Mercer lights up the league over the next three years, cap will be way up and he will be ready to sign a long massive contract if he deserves. He signed this one. He's fine with it. He will be fine.

A long massive contract after Nico gets paid, after Luke signs a 9M dollar deal and after Nemec gets locked up?

I suppose anything is possible? But likely not here.

 

[dgibb10]

If Mercer lights up the league over the next three years, cap will be way up and he will be ready to sign a long massive contract if he deserves. He signed this one. He's fine with it. He will be fine.

Mercer had no leverage

No arb rights
Coming off atrocious year
Not a core piece
No real threat of him going to europe or something like you would see with a russian/european
NJD cap space to match any offer sheet
Not enough career earnings to realistically hold out

 

[JimEIV]

It really isn't that bad of a deal for Mercer. It's also a nice deal for the team that can help with structuring the rest of the team, which I would imagine most people care more about. Are we fans of the Devils, and wanting the team to succeed, or only fans of Mercer?

It's a great deal for the team and horrible for Mercer.

 

[dgibb10]

It's a great deal for the team and horrible for Mercer.

Mercer's play last year was horrible for the team.

 

[TrufleShufle]

A long massive contract after Nico gets paid, after Luke signs a 9M dollar deal and after Nemec gets locked up?

I suppose anything is possible? But likely not here.

Ok then he gets traded and gets paid. He is still going to get paid one way or the other if his play deserves it. I'm just saying if you are worried about Mercer not getting what he deserved, he will one way or the other.

 

[Goptor]

Its a perfectly fair contract given what he did the past 2 years. probably argued over the 3rd year. I imagine getting a 2 year contract would have been better for the player.

 

[JimEIV]

Ok then he gets traded and gets paid. He is still going to get paid one way or the other if his play deserves it. I'm just saying if you are worried about Mercer not getting what he deserved, he will one way or the other.

I don't want him to leave to get what he deserves...is this that hard to understand?

I going out for an evening hunt...need some quiet time now

 

[Cheddabombs]

It's a great deal for the team and horrible for Mercer.

He signed it. If he thought it was horrible he would still be out of a contract.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

in 2 seasons if he's producing he'll be getting a new contract before getting to RFA. If he's not then he probably was getting paid just fine for not a lot.

Holy hell man go kick some leaves. You're more worried about this than Mercer was.

 

[HBK27]

I don't want him to leave to get what he deserves...is this that hard to understand?

I going out for an evening hunt...need some quiet time now

What do you think would've been a fair deal then and who else are you shipping out (or not bringing in)? Devils right now are starting the year with just $976,103 in cap space, so there's not a ton of flexibility.

Fitz had to address goaltending our defense and forward depth this offseason, which he did - even getting salary retention on both our goalies and targeting a player like Cotter in part because of his low cap hit he next two season. So where else in the lineup do you cheap-out on in order to get Mercer locked-up long-term, keeping in mind we just traded for a soon-to-be 35 year old starting goalie?

This is more than a fair deal for a 23-year old coming off a disappointing season. The team win-now mode and the savings the next 3 seasons by doing a bridge deal will be valuable - it's not like we're bridging a guy in the midst of a rebuild when we don't actually need the cap space.

Not sure why you're acting like it's a foregone conclusion that they can't resign Mercer after this deal. You have $10M coming off the books between Palat and Dillon, with Dillon surely replaced by Silayev on an ELC. Hamilton will have one season left with just $5.25M due and a 10 team trade list, so his $9M cap hit is moveable. The cap will also go up quite a bit between now and then.

Mercer will still just be 25 years old after this deal and set up nicely for a massive long-term deal. Hopefully it's with us, but if not we can recoup a lot of good assets similar to what we've seen several other RFA forwards return in recent years.

Not sure how anybody can really complain about this deal. He was almost certainly gonna be bridged for a number of reasons. Not many players get a 7/8 year deal upon the completion of their ELC.

 

[devilsfan950003]

Still believe he would be in a much better position with two years regardless of the CBA. I mean this is good for the team for sure but it's terrible for Mercer.

Two years and he would have arbitration rights...He'd have the same amount of leverage after two year with arbitration rights... He gave away a lot in that 3 year. I think his agent did him a great disservice....and the fact that this crappy deal took 3 months and had Dawson miss camp opening is just a little more salt in the wound.

Well he only has 33 points last season. Not much bargaining power. Good deal for the Devils.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Dawson worrying about how boned he got on his 3 year, $12 million contract.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I just realized that Noesen (3 years x 2.75M AAV) had more points than Mercer did last year in 450 fewer minutes, lol.

I guess Noesen should have fired his agent for not getting a long term 6-7M deal.

 

[MasterofGrond]

It's a great deal for the team and horrible for Mercer.

It’s not horrible for Mercer. It’s an extremely normal RFA deal for his player archetype.

 

[Hisch13r]

Mercer's play last year was horrible for the team.

And horrible for Mercer. He has no one to blame for this deal (which is perfectly fine) other than himself. If he played well I don’t doubt he would’ve gotten a healthy long term deal

 

[JK3]

Good job Fitz! Not bad, 3.75 would have been better though.

 

[Saugus]

Whether he got stiffed on the contract aside, I hope Mercer gets back to putting up big production and makes it look like a bargain even if it were $5M.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Good job Fitz! Not bad, 3.75 would have been better though.

Certainly not better for Mercer lol

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

He's an absurdly streaky scorer, he had that February 2023 that saved that season for him points wise and last year he didn't have that. It is what it is. He's a good player but yeah he cost himself a ton of money last year, he probably understands it as well and this deal is perfect for this team. Only person who screwed Mercer was himself with the shit year he had last year, glad to see Fitz being shrewd here like he has been with all of his re-signings.

 

[JK3]

Certainly not better for Mercer lol

He could have signed with Brampton for a little more.

 

[Hisch13r]

He's an absurdly streaky scorer, he had that February 2023 that saved that season for him points wise and last year he didn't have that. It is what it is. He's a good player but yeah he cost himself a ton of money last year, he probably understands it as well and this deal is perfect for this team. Only person who screwed Mercer was himself with the shit year he had last year, glad to see Fitz being shrewd here like he has been with all of his re-signings.

His rookie year too he had the great start to the season with Bratt where he had 14 pts in 19 games. Then went cold with 12 in 31. Then put with Jack and has 15 in 20. Jack gets hurt and he finishes the year with an abysmal 2 in 13.

Mercer at this point is a decent complimentary top 6 scorer who can produce when playing with talent (last year couldn't even do that) but turns into a ghost if he's in the bottom 6. He does have the tools to also be an effective defensive player but that has never translated to actual results yet.

If he can be a 25-30 goal 55-65 pt guy who can also have a good defensive impact and be a solid PKer then that'd be tremendous. It's certainly a possibility for him. Just need to see it happen.