'A Week Into Training Camp, And You're Like, F***': How Maple Leafs Defenseman Dakota Mermis Was Forced To Miss Months With A Broken Jaw, Assignment To Marlies On LTIR Conditioning Loan
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Dakota Mermis was participating in a one-on-one battle drill with a forward during training camp when a puck deflected off his stick and struck him squarely in the jaw.
"I thought that I could feel my teeth were kind of moved around a little bit. So initially, I just thought that I was cut," Mermis told The Hockey News following his first full practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. "I didn’t know exactly where it hit me either. But then after I got to the bench, they had to put pressure on that jaw to stop the bleeding. And when they put that pressure on, that’s when I knew, because I could feel and kind of hear everything in my jaw moving around."
The injury was severe—Mermis shattered his jaw into multiple pieces and required anchors and screws to repair it. While his jaw wasn’t fully wired shut, it was left with just enough of an opening for a liquid-only diet, which he had to stick to for five weeks.
"You spend all summer to get your weight right, to get your body right, and all of a sudden, you know, a week into training camp, you’re like, f***, I don’t want to lose my weight," Mermis said. "So, my weight dropped a little bit, but I’ve been able to put it back on."
The 30-year-old defenseman, who signed a one-year, $775,000 deal in July, hoped to make an impression during training camp. However, the injury put him at a disadvantage compared to others competing for a spot.
Mermis began the season on long-term injured reserve but was recently spotted skating with the Leafs. On Wednesday, the team announced that the Illinois native would join the Toronto Marlies on an LTIR conditioning loan. The loan will last for three games or six days, after which Mermis could be activated or the Leafs might explore further options.
He joined the Maple Leafs with an understanding that he could move between the NHL and AHL. The organization’s stability and reputation, particularly for treating their AHL team like an NHL-level operation, were big draws for him as a family man with a wife and kids.
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"I’ve played with guys that come out of here at the Marlies and here. Yeah, so that obviously, you know, weighs into it."
While recovering, Mermis expressed gratitude for the Leafs' kitchen staff, who provided protein shakes to support his recovery during his liquid diet.
"They've been amazing," he said.
There’s also a sense of familiarity for Mermis in Toronto. He previously played with Mitch Marner, Max Domi, and Anthony Stolarz on the London Knights, and with Connor Dewar last season on the Minnesota Wild. He was also a teammate of Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the Arizona Coyotes.
Last season, Mermis had a career-high 47 NHL games with Minnesota, recording three goals and five assists. A 6-foot defender with speed and mobility, Mermis could be a useful piece if the Leafs run into depth issues. But right now, he's approximately 9-10th on the depth chart and will have to work his way back.
