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

[dgibb10]

Bratt didn't come off a better year in 2020.... guy was getting scratched in his contract year and had a foot injury....he was terrible defensively and Hynes even called him out in the media on a couple occasions


Dawson is not earning more in today's dollar

Bratt earned 10.9 million in those 3 years after his ELC....the first 2 year deal was right in the Middle of COVID in 2020 with a dead cap. His next Deal on 2022 was still in a dead cap.

In today's dollars you can tack on 25 to 30% easily.

Mercer was also terrible defensively last year.

Cap in the 3 years post ELC: 81.5, 81.5, 82.5: average of 81.67
Cap in the next 3 years: 88, 92.5*, 97* (estimates). Average: 92.5

92.5 is a 13% increase, not 30%.

Adjusted, Bratt got an AAV of 4.14 mill in the 3 years post ELC, despite getting this magical 2 year deal you think is so beneficial (and hitting the best case scenario with it).

I would have much rather given mercer 2x3, and then even if he becomes a 70 point player given him a 1 year 6 mill deal. And if he doesn't become a 70 point player, give him less.

Mercer is not underpaid at all.

 

[JimEIV]

Mercer was also terrible defensively last year.

Cap in the 3 years post ELC: 81.5, 81.5, 82.5: average of 81.67
Cap in the next 3 years: 88, 92.5*, 97* (estimates). Average: 92.5

92.5 is a 13% increase, not 30%.

Adjusted, Bratt got an AAV of 4.14 mill in the 3 years post ELC, despite getting this magical 2 year deal you think is so beneficial (and hitting the best case scenario with it).

I would have much rather given mercer 2x3, and then even if he becomes a 70 point player given him a 1 year 6 mill deal. And if he doesn't become a 70 point player, give him less.

Mercer is not underpaid at all.

I didn't say the cap went up by 30%

Bratt's value then would have returned 30% more today....just look at all the other contracts given out...Bratt's 2.75 AAV, 5.5 total in 2020 is Shane Pinto's 2 year 3.75 AAV 7.5 total today.

That's about a 35% jump

And really that Pinto contract is precisely what Mercer should've gotten

 

[dgibb10]

I didn't say the cap went up by 30%

Bratt's value then would have returned 30% more today....just look at all the other contracts given out...Bratt's 2.75 AAV, 5.5 total in 2020 is Shane Pinto's 2 year 3.75 AAV 7.5 total today.

That's about a 35% jump

Sounds like Jesper Bratt is the one who got f***ed by his agent, not Mercer (great job Fitzgerald that's how you use leverage).

 

[JimEIV]

Sounds like Jesper Bratt is the one who got f***ed by his agent, not Mercer (great job Fitzgerald that's how you use leverage).

Are you serious? Do you not understand dollar value changes?

Bratt did better with 10.9M in 2020-2022 dollars than Mercer did with 12M in 2025 to 2027 dollars....is this a hard concept for you?

And he got to negotiate that 3rd deal with arbitration rights.

 

[dgibb10]

Are you serious? Do you not understand dollar value changes?

Bratt did better with 10.9M in 2020-2022 dollars than Mercer did with 12M in 2025 to 2027 dollars....is this a hard concept for you?

And he got to negotiate that 3rd deal with arbitration rights.

Bratt is a better player than mercer. Is this a hard concept for you?

Jesper Bratt had a 73 point season in 76 games in the contract year of his 2 year deal.

I believe you previously claimed mercer is sacrificing BOATLOADS of money in the case he becomes a 70 point player in year 2 of his deal.

Well, bratt ACTUALLY did become a 70 point player (80 point pace), and it got him a 1 year, 5.5 mill deal. Doesn't seem to be the massive payday you claim mercer is missing out on in that 3rd year.

 

[NJDevs26]

Even if you want to up Bratt’s two RFA contracts artificially and arbitrarily by about 30%, that would come out to a whole two million more than Mercer got over a three year stretch, big whoop - give up the persecution complex on his behalf.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

If Mercer can work on his faceoff craft, I think he can be a long term replacement for Huala on Jack's line.

He also has the ability to get after pucks and dig them out of corners for Jack to shoot or create.

 

[JimEIV]

Bratt is a better player than mercer. Is this a hard concept for you?

Jesper Bratt had a 73 point season in 76 games in the contract year of his 2 year deal.

I believe you previously claimed mercer is sacrificing BOATLOADS of money in the case he becomes a 70 point player in year 2 of his deal.

Well, bratt ACTUALLY did become a 70 point player (80 point pace), and it got him a 1 year, 5.5 mill deal. Doesn't seem to be the massive payday you claim mercer is missing out on in that 3rd year.

Again the 70+ point season was his 3rd contract.

Jesper Bratt was scratched, injured and only had 32 points in his 2nd contract year.

 

[JimEIV]

If Mercer can work on his faceoff craft, I think he can be a long term replacement for Huala on Jack's line.

He also has the ability to get after pucks and dig them out of corners for Jack to shoot or create.

He wasn't terrible last year in the dot with 45%. Only 265 faceoffs

 

[Whaddagoal]

I came here to find out if Jim is happy.

Reading this thread in order. Suspense is killing me.

Edit: Aaaaand there it is. page 3, I see there is upfront disappointment.

I'm just happy Mercer didn't miss more than 2 days of camp!

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think this is a greatly balanced deal for both. I don't see a lot of downside for either party.

Mercer had a poor overall year last season. He recovered a bit of his form by the 2nd half, but it was not stellar. This gave everyone a pause to not go confetti crazy.

Mercer gets some decent money, and looking at breakdown, 4+ for the last two years each. If he excels he will have a strong argument to make more when it's his next deal time, if he stays close to that underperforming year last year, going forward, the devils aren't screwed either.

Very balanced deal for both sides.

 

[MasterofGrond]

It’s a risk mitigation deal for both sides, and I think given where both parties are, that’s wise.

 

[dgibb10]

Again the 70+ point season was his 3rd contract.

Jesper Bratt was scratched, injured and only had 32 points in his 2nd contract year.

YOUR WHOLE POINT WAS THAT MERCER SHOULD HAVE DEMANDED A 2 YEAR DEAL SO HE CAN CASH IN AFTER HAVING A MASSIVE YEAR IN HIS 3RD CONTRACT YEAR.

And when I provide you an example of a player doing exactly that (taking a 2 year deal, having a massive year in the final year of that contract) and not getting paid the big money you think Mercer is giving up on by locking himself in for 3 years, you now suddenly don't think that it's relevant?

You: "Mercer should have demanded a 2 year deal like Bratt so he can get paid big if he breaks out in that contract year of his second deal"
Me: "Bratt did exactly that, taking a 2 year deal and breaking out in the final year of it, and he didn't get paid big"
You: "Why are you talking about bratt in his contract year of his second deal?"

 

[Omar Little]

Jim talking about Dawson’s contract

 

[Triumph]

People shouldn't waste their time. The Devils 2nd Stanley Cup was built on the back of massively underpaying players on their second contract. That amount of leverage is no longer there, but what leverage is there, Fitzgerald used at least some of it. I think $4M is a more than fair deal for Mercer, it's a slight overpay, but hopefully Mercer will figure things out.

 

[MVP Zacha]

Me, trying to understand Jim's argument.

 

[Nubmer6]

Me, trying to understand Jim's argument.

I think the simple answer is that he may value Mercer more than we (and possibly the organization) do.

 

[Brovalchuk]

Again the 70+ point season was his 3rd contract.

Jesper Bratt was scratched, injured and only had 32 points in his 2nd contract year.

Am I nuts or am I missing what you are trying to say? Bratt's 73 in 76 was in year 2/2 of his second contract.

Not disputing any argument about Dawson being bent over barrels but the 73 in 76 was in a contract year, the end of his second contract.

 

[JK3]

 

[Darkauron]

View attachment 908395

It never ends. Life, death, taxes, and Jim takes

 

[JimEIV]

Am I nuts or am I missing what you are trying to say? Bratt's 73 in 76 was in year 2/2 of his second contract.

Not disputing any argument about Dawson being bent over barrels but the 73 in 76 was in a contract year, the end of his second contract.

You are correct and the fact it was in year 2 of a two year deal is really the entire point...

my point is simply that 3rd year Dawson took, is highway robbery. He limited his earning potential, gave the team tremendous flexibility to negotiate future contracts and really didn't get compensated appropriately for it. I believe he should've only taken two years. I don't really see any reason at all to do a 3rd year other than helping out the team...and if you are helping out the team...that 3rd should be a helluva lot more than 4.2...more like 5/5.5

But the other poster is trying to compare apples to oranges...by comparing Bratt's 2nd and 3rd contracts to Dawson's 2nd because of the extra year.

Comparing the 3rd contract to Dawson's 2nd doesn't make sense at all.

Not only are the values from 2020 to 2025 vastly different, the scenario of negotiating that 3rd deal with arbitration rights is a completely different scenario all together.

So if Dawson were to have 70 points in year two of his deal... he'll be making 4.2 in his 3rd year in 2027 dollars as opposed to 5.45 million that Bratt made in 2022 dollars when that contract was signed. That's not just a 1.2M dollar difference in 2022 vs 2027 dollars...that probably more like a 2+ million dollar difference.

So that third year is my gripe...and I'm afraid that this deal might put Dawson in a more likely position to never get a fair deal in NJ. When really we could have locked him up so easily for a team friendly number this off season...all we had to do is not sign Tatar.

 

[Nubmer6]

Not only are the values from 2020 to 2025 vastly different, the scenario of negotiating that 3rd deal with arbitration rights is a completely different scenario all together.

I think the discrepancy here (or one of them) is that you're valuing Mercer as much as Bratt. I personally dont.

 

[JimEIV]

I think the discrepancy here (or one of them) is that you're valuing Mercer as much as Bratt. I personally dont.

Valuing Mercer as much as Bratt? I don't think that's the case...but we have to judge the two at same point of their careers...

I do believe Mercer's value is much higher right now than Bratt's was in 2020...and I don't think it's really that close.

Mercer can play Center or Wing
Mercer can kill penalties.
Mercer stays healthy
Mercer had 64 goals during his ELC.

Bratt didn't accomplish half of what Mercer did during his ELC. He was scratched all three seasons, called out by the coach on numerous occasions for being lazy and poor back checking , basically scored half the goals of Mercer...

Mercer right now is head and shoulders above what Bratt was in 2020 from my point of view.

And don't misunderstand me, I like Bratt and I've been a supporter of Bratt since then. I just think Dawson has accomplished a lot.

 

[Nubmer6]

Mercer right now is head and shoulders above what Bratt was in 2020 from my point of view.

Right, and that's where the discrepancy comes from. I don't get the same feel about the two players.

Stats aside, I always felt Bratt made his linemates better. Even when he was put on the 3rd line with Goose and whoever it was. My feel on Mercer is that he needs the right people around him to succeed.

 

[JimEIV]

Right, and that's where the discrepancy comes from. I don't get the same feel about the two players.

Stats aside, I always felt Bratt made his linemates better. Even when he was put on the 3rd line with Goose and whoever it was. My feel on Mercer is that he needs the right people around him to succeed.

I would have much rather Mercer gotten to play with Gusev and Zacha than Palat and Lazar, Nosek, Bastian, Haula.