Predicting Devils’ Dawson Mercer contract extension

The dog days of summer are always the hardest for NHL fans. The absence of news, podcasts and hockey games can make the wait seem interminable.

The good thing is that we are less than 70 days away from the start of the NHL season.

For New Jersey Devils fans, there is still a lot of anticipation. They eagerly await news on Dawson Mercer’s contract extension.

Today, we’re going to try to guess what his contract terms would be like, based on what other players his age, skill level and contract status have received.

At 22, RFA forward Dawson Mercer is expected to sign before the start of the season. But what type of contract will you be offered?

By looking at other NHL players in similar positions, we can get an idea. For example, Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators and Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Pinto has a two-year contract worth $7.5 million, while Marchenko has a three-year contract worth $3.85 million.

Mercer is unlikely to be offered as high an average annual value (AAV) as Marchenko because the Devils are doing a very good job of setting an internal cap. Which means he could be close to a bridge deal.

It wouldn’t be out of the question for Mercer to sign a two-year bridge deal with an AAV of around $3 million. This could set both him and the team up for a lucrative contract once his bridge deal expires.

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