Dawson Mercer just paid a visit to his old Devils teammates at the end of their morning skate in Winnipeg.
Tonight he plays New Jersey for the first time as a Jet, after five full seasons with the team that drafted him 18th overall in 2020.
Amanda Stein reported that Mercer made a little visit to the Devils' bench once the skate wrapped up.
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Reports from the rink added that there were plenty of smiles, with Mercer stopping by just to say hi to the guys. Nothing formal, nothing staged. A player who spent his first five NHL seasons in one locker room dropped in on the people who watched him grow up.
That part is no accident. Before the team left for Winnipeg, InStilettos spoke with Jonas Siegenthaler about the friendship, and the defenseman described a kid who changed in front of them.
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Siegenthaler recalled the early days of "just young Dawson," and said he has "become almost an adult."
What Mercer's first game against New Jersey means for both teams
The Devils arrive on a five-game winning streak, 13-5-0 and second in the Metropolitan Division. The Jets are 7-8-3 and sit 23rd in the NHL, but they have won three straight.
The reunion is not the only storyline in the building. Connor Hellebuyck is also back in Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck's return to Winnipeg comes with a catch: he won't start for New Jersey.
For Mercer, the numbers say he needs a spark. He has 1 goal and 7 assists in 18 games, and he is skating on a line with Cole Perfetti and Brayden Yager. Perfetti has 14 points, so the opportunity is there to find the net tonight, and Jets fans would love to see it happen against his old club.
Mercer also spoke to the media following the Jets' morning skate ahead of the game, which you can see here:
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Puck drop in Winnipeg is tonight, and the smiles from this morning will not last once the game begins.
Quick hits
MINNESOTA WILD: Jared Spurgeon is coming off injured reserve and returns to the lineup tonight in Montreal, according to Michael Russo. Welcome news for a blue line that has been missing him.
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VANCOUVER CANUCKS: General manager Ryan Johnson claimed defenseman Cameron Crotty off waivers from the Wild. A small move, but it tells you the Canucks are still tinkering on the back end.
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LOS ANGELES KINGS: RotoWire reports Mats Zuccarello is slated to return to the Kings lineup tonight against the Predators. Los Angeles could use the help.
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SAN JOSE SHARKS: Mason Marchment was fined $5,000, the maximum allowed under the CBA, for roughing Islanders rookie Victor Eklund. The Sharks forward will pay up and move on.
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COLORADO AVALANCHE: Cale Makar is in the lineup tonight against the Maple Leafs, and Corey Masisak says he feels good. That is the headline for the night in Colorado.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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