Devils 4, Wild 1: Mercer aces another test

Dawson Mercer didn't skip a beat despite being shifted to center with worse linemates.

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The New Jersey Devils picked up another impressive victory Wednesday night, beating up on a rested Minnesota Wild team to the tune of 4-1.

Mercer aces another test 📝

If there was any doubt Dawson Mercer is back, and not just getting propped up by Timo Meier and Nico Hischier, he laid it to rest against Minnesota.

Mercer was removed from his normal line and tasked with centering Paul Cotter and Connor Brown, a pair of bottom-6 wingers who generally don’t facilitate offense in high volumes or drive play. Much worse playing circumstances.

You wouldn’t have known it from watching them. They dominated from the drop of the puck, spending shift-after-shift in the offensive zone. I thought they were the best unit on the ice in the 1st period.

It was Mercer doing the heavy lifting on the puck. He carried it more than usual and distributed it very well in the offensive zone, hitting his linemates on multiple occasions with passes into the slot for high-danger opportunities.

Mercer was rewarded accordingly, picking up a pair of assists at 5v5. He was the only player on in the game with multiple points.

Now, his linemates deserve credit as well. Cotter did a great job of getting on defensemen in the corners and making himself available around the net.

Brown also forechecked effectively, recovered plenty of pucks, and made smart reads in possession.

Still, Mercer was the driving force behind the line’s success. He had more shot attempts than his linemates, created the best chances as a playmaker, and had the most production to show for it. Heck, he even won more than half of his draws.

I don’t think Mercer could have done a better job of stepping in as the 3C.

Daws answers the bell 🔔