Mercer generated an assist in Friday's 4-1 win over the Sabres in Prague.

Mercer was an unsigned restricted free agent until early in training camp. That always carries some risk, but it's encouraging that Mercer began the year with a helper while filling a second-line role in the season opener. He had a down year with 33 points, 134 shots on net and a minus-26 rating in 2023-24, but the 22-year-old has also displayed fantastic durability by not missing a game in his career to date. If he can keep his top-six spot, Mercer has excellent bounce-back potential.