9th year defenseman Dakota Mermis(5) re-signs to stay within Minnesota Wild organization for a 4th straight year after posting a career high 3-time tying 21 assists in a frame for affiliate Iowa Wild.
The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner took a somewhat odd path up through junior hockey starting a year with the USNTDP before moving on to 1 season for Lincoln Stars, where he won the 2012 USHL Clark Cup, then committing to University Of Denver Pioneers.
That was 19 games short-lived, as he went on to join London Knights and win the 2013 OHL Championship, then 2 years later would pull the same feat, plus the 2015 Memorial Cup for Oshawa Generals.
He has 426 AHL games to his credit and 27 in the NHL with a 1st goal coming from his time with New Jersey Devils.
Undrafted, the 29-year old from Alton, IL continues to pull big contracts and that has to make him feel pretty good.
He actually plays more time with the main club, 47 games, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists, which is good enough to net him a new 1-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs, but could find himself more with their affiliate Toronto Marlies.