Dawson
Mercer
C · WPG · Balanced · Very good
- PAL
- 71
- WAR
- -0.2
- Value
- 61
- PTS
- 42
2025-26№ 513 / 615
Dawson Mercer (Winnipeg Jets) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Dawson Mercer
#19CPlays: Winger · 1% of faceoffs
Winnipeg Jets
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 82 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : October 26, 2001 · Carbonear, Canada
Drafted : 2020 · NJD · round 1, pick #18
Contract : $4,000,000 · 2024-25 → 2026-27 · Two-Way Contract · RFA (Arb)
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Winnipeg Jets | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 2026-27 | New Jersey Devils | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 33 |
| 2024-25 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 19 | 17 | 36 | 16 |
| 2023-24 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 20 | 13 | 33 | 29 |
| 2022-23 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 14 |
| 2021-22 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 28 |
| NHL totals | 427 | 104 | 113 | 217 | 120 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | New Jersey Devils | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | New Jersey Devils | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Playoff totals | 17 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 | |
Dawson Mercer: our analysis
2025-26 season: 82 GP, 20 G, 22 A, 42 PTS, -2 +/-, 18:14 TOI. WAR -0.2 (513th of 615) · PAL 71, very good.
In 2025-26, Dawson Mercer, 25, posts a PAL Rating of 71 out of 100 (very good), and his WAR of -0.2 ranks 513th among 615 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
His strengths: penalty kill (85, among the best in the league), creation (75, well above average) and possession (74, above average).
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV defense (+1.4); his biggest cost: finishing (-7.9).
A clear step forward: his PAL went from 46 in 2024-25 to 71; his WAR, though, went from 0.2 to -0.2.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 61 (good value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Dawson Mercer's story
Growing up in Newfoundland, Dawson Mercer left home early in search of stronger competition, moving from Tri Pen Ice bantam AAA to Bishop's College School at 15 to sharpen his skills and join family on the same program. That move set the stage for his rise through junior ranks.
Drummondville selected him eighth overall in the 2017 QMJHL draft. His first season in the league produced steady results and a national U17 tournament appearance with Canada. Over the next seasons he became a central figure in the QMJHL, registering 60 points in 42 games during the 2019–20 campaign and being traded to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in January 2020 in a major exchange.
The New Jersey Devils picked him 18th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and signed him to a three‑year entry‑level deal on 24 December 2020. He debuted in the NHL on 15 October 2021 and recorded his first assist in that game; his first NHL goal followed on 19 October. Mercer completed his rookie year with 42 points while appearing in all 82 games, and he scored his first playoff goal on 27 April 2023 during a 4–0 Game 5 victory over the Rangers. In 2023–24 he again played every game, finishing with 20 goals and 33 points; after the season he remained an RFA until signing a three‑year contract on 20 September 2024 worth an average of $4 million per season.
Internationally he won gold with Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championship and returned for the 2021 tournament, which ended in a final loss to the United States. He made his senior debut at the 2022 World Championship, where he stood out in faceoffs while Canada claimed silver, and he was also part of the roster in 2024.
A centre who takes responsibility in both ends, Mercer blends offensive contribution with disciplined defensive play. His junior awards highlight his tenacity in defensive assignments and his value as a two‑way pivot.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 15:33
- PP TOI/GP
- 1:10
- SH TOI/GP
- 1:35
- Pts/GP
- 0.44
- EV points
- 6
- Hits
- 13
- Blocks
- 10
- Takeaways
- 5
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 55.2 %
- Off. zone starts
- 37.6 %
- Faceoffs
- 45.5 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
42between 23 and 61 (80% range)
- Goals
- 15
- Assists
- 28
- Games
- 83
So far: 8 pts in 18 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.53 pts per game (last season: 0.51).
Three straight seasons of growth. Since 2018, of 97 players in that spot, 23 kept improving the next season; on average, their pace fell back to 90% of their best season.
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Slightly up
- Points per game: 0.40 in 23-24, 0.51 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 46 → 71
Outlook, age included
↑ Trending upAge 24: usually still improving
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 84 %
69
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 71
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 65
- Confidence 87 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 82
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 97
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 61
- Confidence 87 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 76
- Confidence 67 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 76
- Confidence 87 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- 52
- Confidence 70 %
- PA
- Passing
- 66
- Confidence 84 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 79
- Confidence 84 %
- DF
- Defense
- 77
- Confidence 82 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 67
- Confidence 8 %
- EX
- Experience
- 75
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating71
- Top speed (35 %)36 · 73
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)4.699 · 69
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.4 · 77
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.1 · 70
ST — Strength65
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.185 · 76
- Body mass (50 %)-1.217 · 60
EN — Endurance82
- Ice time per game (45 %)16.7 · 81
- Total ice time (20 %)1,413 · 86
- Shift length (15 %)46 · 77
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)15.6 · 81
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)3.064 · 80
DU — Durability97
- Share of games played (100 %)0.9 · 97
CK — Checking61
- Hits /60 (70 %)2.026 · 60
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)1.874 · 65
- Season volume (10 %)3.526 · 65
FG — Fighting76
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.839 · 76
DI — Discipline76
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.014 · 73
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.391 · 87
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.471 · 55
FO — Faceoffs52
- Faceoff % (85 %)45.1 · 56
- Faceoffs /60 (15 %)15.8 · 51
PA — Passing66
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.573 · 69
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.354 · 64
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.039 · 75
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)3.818 · 64
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.313 · 64
SC — Scoring79
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.879 · 78
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.888 · 81
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.88 · 60
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.871 · 88
- xG per shot (10 %)0.088 · 89
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)12.6 · 77
DF — Defense77
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.031 · 77
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.08 · 77
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.526 · 79
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.064 · 68
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.493 · 72
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.3 · 74
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)2.817 · 77
PS — Penalty shot67
- Shootouts (60 %)32 · 65
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience75
- Career regular-season games (65 %)85
- Career playoff games (25 %)55
- NHL seasons (10 %)61
OV — Overall69
- SC · Scoring (20 %)79
- PA · Passing (20 %)66
- DF · Defense (20 %)77
- SK · Skating (12 %)71
- FO · Faceoffs (10 %)52
- EN · Endurance (8 %)82
- DI · Discipline (5 %)76
- ST · Strength (3 %)65
- CK · Checking (2 %)61
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 69 | 71 | 79 | 77 |
| 2024-25 | 72 | 76 | 81 | 74 |
| 2023-24 | 71 | 78 | 83 | 70 |
| 2022-23 | 80 | 74 | 86 | 77 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
-0.2
wins above replacement
513 of 615
PAL Rating
71/ 100
Performance · Very good
127 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
61/ 100
Good value
4.00 M$ · expected PAL 59
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 60
- Defense
- 81
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 46
- Creation
- 75
- Shooting
- 44
- Possession
- 74
- Defense
- 73
- Discipline
- 51
- Power play
- 65
- Penalty kill
- 85
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NJD | -0.2 | 71 | 61 | 4.00 M$ |
| 2024-25 | NJD | 0.2 | 46 | 30 | 4.00 M$ |
| 2023-24 | NJD | 0.9 | 25 | 39 | 0.89 M$ |
| 2022-23 | NJD | 1.4 | 81 | 90 | 0.89 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
67/ 100
Average
better than 67% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
45/ 100
Average
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
76/ 100
Very good
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 138 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 47
- Shot selection
- 81
- Penalties drawn
- 18
- Puck management
- 27
Defense
- Takeaways
- 72
- Discipline
- 83
- Safe zone exits
- 30
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NJD | 67 | 45 | 76 |
| 2024-25 | NJD | 73 | 74 | 58 |
| 2023-24 | NJD | 60 | 37 | 73 |
| 2022-23 | NJD | 62 | 78 | 45 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.2
wins above replacement
-1.0 to 0.7 — 90% interval
513 of 615 forwards
-1.1 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +0.7
- EV defense
- +1.4
- Power play
- +0.5
- Penalty kill
- +0.0
- Shooting
- -7.9
- Penalties
- +0.5
- Average → replacement
- +3.7
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NJD | 82 | -0.2 | -1.0 to 0.7 | 513/615 |
| 2024-25 | NJD | 78 | 0.2 | -1.0 to 1.0 | 294/596 |
| 2023-24 | NJD | 82 | 0.9 | 0.1 to 2.6 | 155/608 |
| 2022-23 | NJD | 82 | 1.4 | -0.3 to 2.9 | 104/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 129.6 km/h42nd percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 34.5 km/h30th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 1851st percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 40.2 %28th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 69.7 km69th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.26 km76th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 40.8 %46th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.9 %43rd percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 41.9 %27th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 3378th percentile | 139th percentile | 3.0 %3rd percentile |
| High danger | 1382nd percentile | 157th percentile | 7.7 %15th percentile |
| Mid range | 972nd percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %32nd percentile |
| Long range | 490th percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
TBL
VAN
MTL
CAR
FLA
ANA
COL
WSH
NYR
DET
OTT
UTA
NYI
PHIDawson Mercer: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Dawson Mercer have in 2026-27?
Dawson Mercer has 1 goal and 8 points (7 assists) in 18 games in 2026-27.
How old is Dawson Mercer?
Dawson Mercer is 25 years old: he was born on October 27, 2001.
How tall is Dawson Mercer, and how much does he weigh?
Dawson Mercer is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 181 lb (82 kg).
Where is Dawson Mercer from?
Canada: Dawson Mercer was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
What team does Dawson Mercer play for?
Dawson Mercer plays for the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL, at C, wearing number 19.
Is Dawson Mercer injured?
No: Dawson Mercer is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Dawson Mercer?
Dawson Mercer produced -0.2 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 513th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 71 out of 100: very good for his position.
How much does Dawson Mercer make?
Dawson Mercer earns $4.0M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 61 out of 100 (good value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Dawson Mercer's contract end?
Dawson Mercer's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Dawson Mercer overpaid?
No, he gives more than he costs. His Value rating is 61 out of 100 (good value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Dawson Mercer a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 513th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Dawson Mercer getting better?
Yes: his PAL rating went from 46 in 2024-25 to 71 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Dawson Mercer played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Dawson Mercer has 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists).
What are Dawson Mercer's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Dawson Mercer has 427 games, 104 goals, 113 assists and 217 points. His best season: 2022-23, with 56 points in 82 games.
Where was Dawson Mercer drafted?
Dawson Mercer was drafted 18th overall (round 1) by New Jersey Devils in 2020.
Is Dawson Mercer better at home or on the road?
On the road: in 2026-27, he averages 0.36 points per game at home (4 in 11 games) and 0.57 on the road (4 in 7 games).
How does Dawson Mercer perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Dawson Mercer has 17 games and 9 points in his career. His pace (0.53 points per game) is similar to his regular-season pace (0.51).
Which player is most similar to Dawson Mercer?
Michael Eyssimont: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Michael Eyssimont's page →Is Dawson Mercer a good fantasy pick?
A useful depth pick: our projection has him at 42 points in 2026-27, or 0.51 points per game.
Does Dawson Mercer have siblings?
Yes: his brother Riley Mercer (goaltender), his sister Jessica Mercer (defenceman).
Is Dawson Mercer related to anyone famous?
Yes: Zachery Bennett (cousin, plays ice hockey).
What is Dawson Mercer's nationality?
Dawson Mercer is Canadian. Internationally: Canada — 2020 World Junior Champion (gold medal); 2021 World Junior finalist (silver medal); 2022 World Championship finalist (silver medal); selected for 2024 World Championship.
How many championships has Dawson Mercer won?
3: Gold medal with Team Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championship; Silver medal with Team Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship; Silver medal with Team Canada at the 2022 World Championship.
Where did Dawson Mercer play before turning pro?
Tri Pen Ice U15 AAA (Newfoundland Bantam AAA); Bishop's College School U18 varsity prep team at age 15; drafted 8th overall by the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the 2017 QMJHL draft; played in the QMJHL, 2019–20 season nominated for the Michael Bossy Trophy.
How many points is Dawson Mercer projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 42 points in 83 games in 2026-27 (23 to 61 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Winnipeg Jets teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)