Dawson Mercer enters the draft listed as a center on Central Scouting's final rankings. While he played center this season with his two Quebec Major Junior League clubs, Mercer also has the ability to play at right-wing making him, what TSN Craig Button calls "a plug-and-play" type player. With a knack for racking up points, he split his draft season between Drummondville of and was moved Chicoutimi after the World Juniors in January.
The return in the trade for Mercer from Drummondville to Chicoutimi was a costly one, with Chicoutimi looking to make a push and run for the Memorial Cup before the season was ended by the COVID-19 pandemic. In exchange for Mercer, Drummondville received a package of draft picks that included three first-round and two second-round selections. Those picks alone should identify what teams think of Mercer and his value.
With each team this season, Mercer was a point-per-game player, with six goals and 18 points in his final 16 games for Chicoutimi. Prior to playing with the Sagueneens he was on roll with 42 points in only 26 games.
Mercer's final Central Scouting ranking listed him at 10th for North American skaters and plays a sound defensive game and can be counted upon in the faceoff dot when needed, this past season recording a 51.1 success rate at the dot. What makes Mercer such an offensive threat is his ability to finish from just about anywhere in the offensive zone and has a very sharp shot.
