Dawson Mercer, BCS'19: From Moulton Hill to the NHL

‘Soon to be an NHL player!’ was the superlative attributed to a young Dawson Mercer, BCS’19, in the 2016-2017 edition of the BCS Yearbook. Four years later, Dawson is well on his way to making that a reality.

Dawson Mercer, BCS’19, was only 14 years old when he left home to pursue his professional hockey dreams. Following in the footsteps of his older cousin Zachery “Zack” Bennett, BCS’18, Dawson left his childhood home in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, moving over 2,000 kilometres to join Zack at BCS for his Form V year. It was a strategic move that guaranteed young Dawson more ‘mainland’ exposure and a quality education. “I wanted hockey as my future, and that was my dream,” Dawson explains. “It was a big decision to move away from home, but BCS had a lot of positives that checked off a lot of our boxes—the hockey was one of them for sure, but there was that great schooling to go along with it.”

Starting off the season with a spot on the U16/Prep team, Dawson’s work ethic and tenacity quickly earned him a place as the youngest player on our U18/Varsity team. His skill would help lead the Bears to their first-ever National Independent Schools Invitational Conference (NISIC) victory over a seasoned Upper Canada College (UCC) team. He was regularly awarded Colours for his efforts and earned the title of Athlete of the Month in February for his performance in the MPHL playoffs. “[He’s] a special young man with tremendous skill and passion for the game of hockey,” then Head Coach, Mike Couch, wrote of Dawson when nominating him for the accolade. “[He] makes everyone around him better.”

Dawson also embraced the BCS experience wholeheartedly, bonding with his classmates, teammates, and housemates in McNaughton—of which he was elected House Captain. “Living at school together, you become like a family,” Dawson shares. “You go to classes together, you do your sports together, you hang out in the house. It’s a cool experience that not a lot of people have the opportunity to take part in, and I’m very grateful for my time there.” He made sure to participate in all the BCS events and speaks of the Winter Carnival fondly. “I used to love the hockey road trips, but I also remember just hanging out with the guys, playing ping pong in the Student Centre, heading into Lennoxville on the weekend, and of course Carnival. Carnival was pretty special. All these little things add up at the end of the day and bring back good memories.”

Dawson's stand-out performance at NISIC earned him the title of MVP and point leader during the Bears' championship-winning game against UCC.

While Dawson only spent one year at BCS, he credits his time on Moulton Hill with preparing him for his transition into the ‘real world.’ “It helped me become who I am today, and it really helped prepare me for my Junior year, transition-wise. Between managing your time and balancing school and hockey, it gives you the maturity and teaches you a lot of responsibilities—it was a great routine to have during the season!”

Indeed, BCS was the stepping stone he needed to progress to the next level. His time with the Bears paid off and gave him the exposure he needed, and in June of 2017, he was selected as the eighth overall pick in the first round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) by the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Located just a short distance from BCS, members of the BCS community would regularly head out to Drummondville to support Dawson, including his old houseparent Ken Raban who described him as “one of the most endearing young men I have ever met in my whole life.”

While with Drummondville in 2017-18, he had 26 points in 61 games (11 goals, 15 assists), an impressive 64 points in 68 games (30 goals, 34 assists) in 2018-19, and 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 26 games in 2019-20, earning him a well-deserved spot representing his country at the 2020 World Junior Championships. Less than 24 hours after taking home the gold with Team Canada at the World Juniors, he was traded to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in exchange for six draft picks. He racked up an additional 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 16 games with Chicoutimi before the season was shortened due to the pandemic.

Dawson’s notable performance over three years in the Q and his consistent play on the national scene, combined to put him high on NHL scouts’ radar and the 2020 NHL Draft prospects list. Sure enough, on October 6, 2020, he was selected as the 18th overall pick in the first round by the New Jersey Devils. “It was a pretty unbelievable feeling to have my name called,” Dawson expresses. “Reaching your goals is pretty surreal.”

A lot of the pre- and post-draft buzz around Dawson centred on his character, a valuable attribute and description with which Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald wholeheartedly agrees. However, in a post-draft interview with reporters, he emphasized that Dawson’s skill shouldn’t be overlooked. “[H]e’s underrated with his skill,” Fitzgerald said of their second first-round pick. “He’s a coach’s dream. He skates well, he’s tenacious, [and] he scores. I think he’s a player that you actually win with. There’s a lot to like about this young man.”¹

Through it all, Dawson has remained humble and extremely dedicated to his family and the people who have helped him along the way. “A lot of people contributed to the success that I’ve accomplished in my career and I think it’s so important to stay connected with the people from your past. When I got drafted, I received so many messages from my best buddies from back at BCS and it was really special and meant a lot.”

“[BCS] is an experience that not a lot of people have the opportunity to take part in, and I’m very grateful for my time there.”

The future is looking bright for Dawson. He recently took home silver with Team Canada at the 2021 World Juniors and he’s getting back into the swing of things with the Saguenéens this season. He’s one step closer to living out his dreams of playing in the NHL and winning the Stanley cup. “I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me in the NHL, but for now, I’m enjoying playing with the best of the best in the world and I feel privileged to be considered in that group.”

When asked if he had any advice for budding hockey players, he is quick to offer: “Enjoy it all to the fullest. There’s so much going on [at BCS] so make sure you are keeping your marks up AND performing at hockey. Manage your time and, when you get the opportunity, make sure you give it your best shot. Maximize it all to your advantage.”