The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday that defenceman Dakota Mermis will be out for a week after undergoing jaw surgery.
The 30-year-old, who signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Maple Leafs on July 2, was a depth acquisition to bolster the team’s blue-line options, but he is now expected to miss the remainder of training camp and much of the regular season.
Mermis joined the Leafs following stints with the Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, and most recently, the Minnesota Wild, where he played a career-high 47 games last season, recording 3 goals and 5 assists.
Despite his NHL experience, Mermis was seen as a long shot to crack Toronto’s roster out of camp, with the Leafs boasting a crowded defensive unit, including fellow offseason signees Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jani Hakanpaa.
Given his extensive AHL experience, however, Mermis was likely to play a key role with the Toronto Marlies this season and to be available for a callup in case of emergency.
That comes with a caveat, however, as to assign Mermis to the AHL, the Leafs will need to place him on waivers, risking losing him to another team if he gets claimed.
Leafs D Dakota Mermis underwent surgery yesterday (jaw) and is listed as week-to-week.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) September 27, 2024
Mermis’ recuperation after jaw surgery is expected to take several weeks, with the team dubbing him “week-to-week” pending additional evaluation.
For context, Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard underwent jaw surgery in January 2024 and was initially anticipated to miss six to eight weeks. He returned to the ice after seven weeks.
