At six feet tall and 180 pounds, Dawson Mercer does not fit the iron man stereotype, but the New Jersey Devils forward is proving to be a durable, rugged and consistent player in the National Hockey League, and such traits will prove invaluable as the Bay Roberts native considers the next step in his career.
On Wednesday he played in his 200th consecutive game, and made a statement by scoring twice — his 11th and 12th goals of the season — in a 6-3 win over the Capitals. It’s a streak that began with his NHL debut on Oct. 15, 2021.
Mercer has been on a roll with six points (four goals and two assists) in his last five games and 20 points in 36 games on the season following what was a slow start offensively by his standards.
Through his first 200 games, Mercer has 56 goals and 62 assists, for 118 points. He set a career high for goals last season with 27, and set a new Devils record along the way by scoring in eight consecutive games.
He sets a new franchise record for consecutive games played to start an NHL career every time he appears in the lineup, after breaking the old record 11 months ago of 141 games set by Scott Gomez.
It’s an impressive streak for a player who does not shy away from the physical play and if you met him on the street, you might be surprised by his slender frame and question whether he’s built for a grinding 82-game NHL season.
But Mercer knows how to take care of his body, and has the intelligence to avoid the dangerous hits, said his uncle and longtime coach, Bo Bennett.
“He’s seeing things before they happen, so he’s staying out of the danger area even though he’s in the danger area, if that makes sense to you,” said Bennett.
It’s impossible to avoid bumps and bruises when playing a fast and physical game like ice hockey, but the fact Mercer hasn’t missed a game “shows his mindset and character about overcoming those things and keeping it going,” teammate Erik Haula told Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News earlier this week.
Bennett described the consecutive games streak as “remarkable,” but said he’s not surprised, despite the fact Mercer is playing alongside of and against the best players in the world.
“Dawson is a focused young man. He takes care of his body. He takes care of his nutrition. He does all the right things,” said Bennett.
According to the Devils website, Mercer’s consecutive games played streak ranks 11th in the NHL for all active skaters (he’s tied with Charlie Coyle of the Boston Bruins and Blake Coleman…
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