Dawson Mercer

Dawson Mercer (born October 27, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 18th overall by the Devils in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life
Mercer was born on October 27, 2001, in Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to parents Charlotte and Craig. His father is a powerline technician while his mother manages a convenience store. His father also coached in the Conception Bay North area and had a tryout with the American Hockey League’s St. John's Maple Leafs. Besides his father, both of his younger siblings also play ice hockey; his brother Riley Mercer is a goaltender while his sister Jessica Mercer is a defenceman. His cousin Zachery Bennett also plays ice hockey.

Junior
Growing up in Newfoundland, Mercer played for the Tri Pen Ice U15 AAA in the Newfoundland Bantam AAA league. After recording 68 points in 24 games, Mercer chose to play prep hockey with the Bishop's College School under-18 varsity team at the age of 15. He chose to leave his home province in part to increase his playing ability and join his cousin. In his first season at Bishop, he finished third in scoring with 18 goals and 30 assists through 51 games to earn a high ranking by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Central Scouting. Mercer was eventually drafted eighth overall by the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the 2017 QMJHL Draft.

As a rookie in the QMJHL, Mercer recorded 26 points through 68 games. During the season, he was selected for Team Canada's Black U17 team at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. In the 2019–20 season, he finished with 60 points in 42 games and was nominated for the Michael Bossy Trophy.

Professional
On December 24, 2020, Mercer was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the New Jersey Devils. He made his NHL debut the following season on October 15, 2021, against the Chicago Blackhawks. During the game, he recorded his first career NHL assist on a goal by Andreas Johnsson. On October 19, Mercer scored his first NHL goal against the Seattle Kraken. He would finish his rookie season with 42 points, and led the team in games played with 82.

On April 27, 2023, Mercer scored his first NHL playoff goal against the New York Rangers, in a 4–0 shutout in Game 5 of the 2023 playoffs.

International play
Mercer made his international debut with the Canadian national junior team at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Ostrava, winning a gold medal. He rejoined Team Canada for 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, held in a bubble in Edmonton as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. They reached the final for a second consecutive year, but were defeated by the United States. Mercer reflected that the experience of a tournament with no fans in the arena was a "unique situation," one that he felt was "going to be remembered in history."

Following the 2021–22 NHL regular season, with the Devils failing to qualify for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Mercer accepted an invitation to make his senior national team debut at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. He was one of the most effective faceoff men in the tournament, helping Canada reach the event final. They were defeated by Finland, taking the silver medal. Two years later, Mercer rejoined Team Canada for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.