The Utah Hockey Club made a smart acquisition on Thursday, claiming veteran defenseman Dakota Mermis from the Toronto Maple Leafs for free via waivers. Mermis, 30, had signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Toronto in July but was placed on waivers to make room for Jake McCabe’s return from injury. McCabe had already played 20:07 minutes in Toronto’s win against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
Mermis has not played an NHL game since April when he was with the Minnesota Wild, and his season debut for the Maple Leafs will no longer happen. However, Mermis appeared in three games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies during a conditioning stint after recovering from a jaw injury sustained during training camp. Although Mermis was not expected to solve all of Utah’s defensive issues, he brings valuable experience to a team in need of defensive depth, especially with Utah missing key blueliners like John Marino and Sean Durzi due to long-term injuries.
Last season, Mermis played 47 games with the Wild, posting three goals and eight points. He has 74 regular-season games under his belt, having played for Arizona, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Toronto. For the Maple Leafs, Mermis was more of a casualty of roster management rather than performance, as the team needed to free up space for McCabe. Both Mermis and Alexander Nylander were placed on waivers, with Mermis ultimately being claimed, which allowed the Leafs to reassign Nylander to the Marlies.