Devils' Mercer Having Terrific Season

Do not look now, but the New Jersey Devils have the second best record in the National Hockey League.

As of this writing (Thursday, November 13), the team is 12-4-0-1 for 25 points, which also has them first in the Metropolitan Division and first in the Eastern Conference. Many people will look at the record and say that Jack Hughes is the main reason why the team is off to such a great start.

That is definitely one way to look at it. Jack currently leads the team in scoring as he has 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 17 games, and he is also tied with Jesper Bratt for the team lead in game-winning goals (two), and leads the club with 69 shots on goal.

With that said, there is another player on this Devils hockey club that deserves some positive attention. That Devil is Dawson Mercer.

This is good news for both the Devils and their fans as last season was a tough one for Mercer. The 24-year-old had just 36 points (19 goals and 17 assists) in 82 games.

It appears that Mercer has put last season behind him as he is off to a great start this season. For starters, he has been productive in his team's first 17 games.

Mercer is currently (as of Thursday, November 13) tied with Bratt for second on the team in scoring with 16 points on nine goals and seven assists. He is second on the team in goals and seventh on the team in assists.

He has also played extremely well on special teams. As of this writing, Mercer leads the team in power play goals (three) and shorthanded goals (two).

Not only is Mercer putting up points, but he is also playing well at the other end of the ice. He is currently first on the team at +9, which means that he is playing responsibly at both ends of the ice.

It is easy to see why he is +9. He is in the right areas to contribute offense, he plays on both the power play and penalty kill, he backchecks, he breaks up plays in his own zone, and he always hustles.

One person who has really noticed a difference in Mercer's play this season is Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe. Keefe told Vani Hanamirian of The Hockey News last week that Mercer has been successful this season because he has shown up on time and has focused all his energy on hockey.

He’s with the guys — second year under me and what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Keefe said. “It’s just different. All that with the contract is in the rearview mirror, and he’s just showing up ready to play hockey, and he’s done a good job.”

If the Devils want to continue being one of the top teams in the league, Mercer is going to have to continue to be a key contributor. So far, so good for both the Devils and Mercer.