The New Jersey Devils struggled to produce offense during the 2024-25 season, and it played a role in their early post-season exit this spring. Among the Devils who had a tough year offensively was forward Dawson Mercer.
In 82 games this season with the Devils, Mercer posted 19 goals and 36 points. Overall, while it was not necessarily a bad campaign for the 2020 first-round pick, his numbers were lower than most would have expected. This was also the case in 2023-24, as he finished that season with a career-low 33 points in 82 games.
Yet, when looking at Mercer's previous success, there is clear reason to believe that he has the potential to bounce back next season. As a rookie with the Devils in 2021-22, he recorded a solid 42 points in 82 games. Following this, he set career highs with 27 goals, 29 assists, and 56 points in 82 contests in 2022-23.
When noting that Mercer has shown in the past that he can be an impactful point-producer, it certainly is possible that his offense could go back up in 2025-26. This is especially so when noting that he is still only 23 years old, so he is just entering his prime.
Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see if Mercer can have a bounce-back season in 2025-26 from here. If he does, it would certainly make the Devils a more difficult team to go up against.
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