PuckSleuth
6Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots L
Dakota Mermis
Age 32 · 6'0" · 197 lb · Born in Alton, USA
Cap hit
$813K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
—
needs 40 recent games
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
11
Goals
1
20.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
1
0.09 per game
TOI/GP
13:02
PP 0:00 · PK 0:38
xGF%
48.2
5v5, +3.7 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.00
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-3
Blocks 9 · Hits 8
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8 vs TBL · W 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10:34 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.21 |
| Nov 29 @ PIT · W 7-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 15:10 | 0:00 | 0:19 | — | 100 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.46 |
| Nov 28 @ WSH · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:41 | 0:00 | 0:01 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.18 |
| Nov 26 @ CBJ · W 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11:47 | 0:00 | 1:01 | — | 75 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -0.28 |
| Nov 22 @ MTL · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14:29 | 0:00 | 2:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.21 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 135 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
41st percentile
64th percentile
99th percentile
32nd percentile
86th percentile
39th percentile
4th percentile
33rd percentile
39th percentile
3rd percentile
65th percentile
44th percentile
6th percentile
74th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleTransition-oriented defender
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Mermis excels at generating rush chances through quick ice movement and transitions, showing solid defensive positioning. He rarely shoots or initiates play from set positions, limiting his offensive contribution at even strength.
- Shooting volume
- 16
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 93
- Forechecking
- 0
- Physicality
- 53
- Defensive impact
- 67
- Puck management
- 34
- Speed
- 14
Where he shoots from
Slot 0% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 70%(10 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional at generating rush chances, ranking 93rd percentile among defensemen
- Solid defensive positioning with 67th percentile impact in his own zone
- Physical presence with average physicality at 53rd percentile for the position
Watch-outs
- Almost no playmaking ability, at the 0th percentile in creating chances for teammates
- Very limited offensive shot generation at just 16th percentile shooting volume
- Slow skater relative to peers, ranking 14th percentile in speed
Similar style: Jonas Siegenthaler (NJD), Jacob Bernard-Docker (DET)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 11 GP · goals above average
Season total -0.0 goals, or -0.00 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.1
- Even strength defense
- +0.1
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Finishing
- +0.8
- Playmaking
- -0.5
- Penalties
- -0.2
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | TOR | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 5 | 13:02 | — | -0.00 |
| 2024-25 | TOR, UTA | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 6 | 15:12 | — | -0.12 |
| 2023-24 | MIN | 47 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -2 | 42 | 14:05 | — | -0.04 |
| 2022-23 | MIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 1 | 14:28 | — | -0.07 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.02 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.5 mph
- 15th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 2
- Hardest shot
- 87.8 mph
- 35th pct
- Distance
- 19.4 mi
- OZ time
- 41.8%
- 54th pct
- DZ time
- 40.4%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 32, defensemen typically produce 81% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TOR | $813K | 0.8% |
UFA after 2026-27. $813K in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).