Memorable Jets debut for Mercer

It didn’t take Dawson Mercer long to find out what a friendly Manitoba reception looks — and sounds – like.

The newest member of the Winnipeg Jets was taken aback when the public address announcer singled him out on the walk to the ice at Princess Auto Stadium, prompting the crowd to provide a warm ovation for Mercer prior to the 2026 Heritage Classic game with the Montreal Canadiens.

“It kind of caught me off guard when I got introduced when I was walking out there, so that was pretty good to get that welcome,” said Mercer, who was acquired from the New Jersey Devils in Friday’s blockbuster deal for Connor Hellebuyck. “Having the Jets flyover was pretty sick. That was pretty memorable also.”

Although he was held off the scoresheet in Sunday’s 2-1 loss, Mercer made a favourable first impression, taking 20 shifts for 15:22 of ice time, recording two shots on goal and a blocked shot while skating alongside captain Adam Lowry and Isak Rosen (who scored the lone goal for the Jets).

“It was a pretty cool experience. Definitely a weird situation to be thrown into but honestly a pretty special one that I’ll cherish,” said Mercer. “Obviously, the outcome is not what we wanted, but overall nice to get going with the guys right away, and then build off it from here.”

The pomp and circumstance surrounding the game and the celebration of hockey throughout the weekend caught Mercer’s attention.

“Obviously I have been coming here for a long time on the road. You can see the passion here and I think this was over the top of how exciting it can be,” said Mercer. “But they’ve got a lot to live up to at the next home game. I’m expecting a lot.”

Going from dealing with the emotion of being involved in the first trade of his career to jumping right into the spectacle of an outdoor game was a lot for Mercer to process.

“I think it’s been a whirlwind. An awesome situation for him to come into but a tough situation,” said Lowrry. ‘You come in and you (don’t) have a ton of time to get a practice in. What he brings, he showed. He’s got a ton of speed, he took some pucks deep and I think it’s just going to get better.

“The more he gets comfortable with the reads, the more he gets comfortable playing up in the lineup. You see the tenacity, you see the ability to get that shot off and go to the dirty areas. We all know there’s going to be another level and we’re excited for that, too.”

Chosen 20th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Devils, Mercer is a three-time 20-goal scorer and has 103 goals and 213 points in 421 NHL games.

For a team searching for some additional secondary scoring, Mercer looks like a good bet to chip in offensively, along with contributing to the power play and eventually, the penalty kill.

“The way I play the game, I like to play fast, I like to play direct, with a lot of speed,” said Mercer. “I’m just listening to how they view me and how they want me to play, and definitely (will try to) implement that into the lineup here.”

Jets head coach Scott Arniel liked what he saw from Mercer in his debut with the Jets.

“Yeah, that was the player that I remember kind of coaching against him in the East there. He’s got good hands, good on the forecheck,” said Arniel. “Saw that shot block, he’s not afraid to do that. He’s a complete player. He’s one of those guys that you can plug and play in a lot of different situations.”

Arniel made a few calls to coaches he knows around the league after the deal was consummated and there was a common theme that bubbled to the surface in those discussions.

”The same thing that came from everybody is ‘you’re gonna love this kid,’” said Arniel. “Versatile in the sense of playing right wing and centre, kills penalties, plays power play, and is a 20-goal scorer. He does a lot of those little detail things.

“I heard from a lot of coaches that he’s a glue guy. So when you hear that as a coach, it’s always, in my opinion, a real nice compliment for a player. He’s excited for a new start. I think whenever you play for one organization, and you get your second chance, it’s a different feeling.”

The addition of Nico Daws gives the Jets three capable NHL netminders, though it’s unclear what the depth chart will look like during the coming weeks.

At least for the time being, Daws and Clay Stevenson will be competing for playing time behind Stuart Skinner – who got the call the start on Sunday against the Canadiens.

Daws, chosen by the Devils in the third round 84th overall of the 2020 NHL Draft, has 59 games on his NHL resume, including a 26-26-1 record, a 2.97 goals-against average and .897 save percentage.

“Obviously shocked, but really excited, obviously, to be back in Canada. It’s exciting for me,” said Daws, who spent three seasons with the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League. “Yeah. I don’t know exactly what to expect. Obviously, it’s the first day here and I’m trying to get my feet settled and what not. And, obviously, I’m really, really confident in my game, and just try to help the team however I can.”

Daws has followed a similar path to Stevenson, though he has a bit more NHL experience to date.

“Just grinding between the AHL. I had quite a few call-ups,” said Daws. “Just trying to get an opportunity to stick in the NHL. To start the year up there was really exciting for me, and then you get traded.

“So, we’ll see what happens here. But, like I said, I’ve been building my game over the last five years. The stints I had in the NHL, you learn a lot. Hard lessons to learn, and some good lessons.”

Making the transition with a teammate eases the process of being traded for the first time.

“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, I’ve known Merc for five or six years now,” said Daws. “We’re in the same draft. We roomed together, our first train and camp together. We played world junior together, too. There’s definitely familiarity there. And, yeah, it makes it a lot easier having somebody with you.”

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