Dakota Mermis is focused on his goal.
Over the past ten years since winning the Memorial Cup in 2015 with the Oshawa Generals, this undrafted player has played for six minor league teams and five NHL teams.
However, the 31-year-old defenseman has never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This could change as soon as next week because of injuries to two other left-handed defensemen on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs chose Mermis because of his straightforward and competitive style, his wide range of experience, and his consistent professionalism.
Mermis, who is known for being likeable and is from Alton, Illinois, signed with Toronto for just $775,000 for one reason: he wants to win, no matter what role he has to play.
It was also a positive that some of his former London Knights teammates, like Mitch Marner, Max Domi, and Anthony Stolarz, were already on the team.
We talked to Mermis about dealing with a broken jaw, being roommates with a young Stolarz, and the unpredictable nature of being on waivers.
This interview is based on conversations in Calgary and Buffalo and has been slightly edited for clarity and length.
Sportsnet: You signed with the Leafs as a free agent, broke your jaw in training camp, played for the Marlies, were put on waivers, picked up by Utah, and then Toronto claimed you back after one game. How would you describe your season?
Dakota Mermis: It`s hard to describe it as anything but chaotic. You train all summer, you`re excited, and you feel good. Then, just a week into training camp, you`re getting surgery that keeps you out for a while. After coming back, there was the waiver situation and going to Utah for about a month. It`s tough to put into words. I`m just taking everything as it comes.
SN: How do you mentally handle all this uncertainty?
DM: Luckily, I have a great support system at home with my wife, Sarah, and our kids. They are all with me. My wife took great care of me during the liquid diet part of my recovery, which lasted quite a while. I just rely on having a positive mindset, which I`ve tried to maintain throughout my career: knowing that things will improve. The injury was difficult, especially in the first few weeks, but you realize that tough situations do get easier. And moving to Utah, you just have to accept it.
SN: What`s the conversation like about waivers? Did the Leafs tell you they would try to get you back if Utah waived you?
DM: They hoped I would clear waivers initially. Coming off a significant injury and not having played much, I didn’t expect to be claimed. But it’s all about timing and team needs. Utah had a lot of injuries then and needed players. I went to Utah expecting to stay for the rest of the year. But things changed there, and I was in Calgary wondering if Toronto would reclaim me. I was hoping they would because we still had our home in Toronto; we hadn’t completely moved out. So, it was good to pick up where we left off. For my family, being reclaimed was great.
SN: Explain what those 24 hours on waivers feel like.
DM: You have to wait until 2 p.m. Eastern the next day, so the night you`re on waivers, you know you won`t hear anything until the next day. So, you can kind of put it aside. But the couple of hours leading up to 2 p.m., when you`re either going to clear or be claimed, that`s when it gets a bit exciting. It happens quickly. When Utah claimed me, we were at home. It was a quiet day off. In just seconds, it hit 2 p.m. It became chaos to pack bags and get to the airport in a couple of hours. It just turns to madness.
But it can also go the other way – where you go unclaimed, and life continues normally. I`ve been on waivers several times, and they are all different. Sometimes you`re on the road. Last year, playing for Minnesota, I was on waivers during the NHL Global Series and I cleared. I wasn`t being reassigned; it was a salary cap situation. But then I was in Europe, getting on a plane in Stockholm to meet the team.
SN: Does your agent tell you which teams are interested in claiming you?
DM: Teams keep their cards close to their chest. I had no idea Utah was going to happen. Brad Treliving called me one minute after two o`clock, and I expected him to just say, ‘You cleared waivers.’ Instead, he said, ‘We want to thank you. Utah claimed you.’ In reverse, I was on a plane with Utah when I was reclaimed. Their team manager came to my seat and said, ‘Toronto claimed you back.’ I couldn’t take calls in the air, so I was texting to figure out the next steps.
SN: What was your impression of hockey in Utah during your four weeks there?
DM: Amazing. The fans were fantastic. The atmosphere at the arena was great. You can tell that ownership and Chris Armstrong are doing things the right way. They treated me and my family extremely well in the short time I was there. They`re definitely building something positive.
SN: The Leafs have a strong defense. You want to be in the NHL. How have you dealt with being in the AHL when you want to be in the NHL?
DM: I’m in my tenth year. You always have something to prove — mainly to myself, that I can still play at a high level. Which I like. One of my priorities when I became a free agent in 2024 was to be in a winning environment — even if it meant being lower on the depth chart. At this point in my career, in my 30s, you want to be part of winning. I believe that even if you are lower on the depth chart, in the minors, or out of the lineup, you can still contribute to winning. Even through practice habits. So, being back here with a good team that’s making a strong push is what I wanted coming into the year. Whatever that looks like, whatever role I play, it’s good for me.
SN: Which Leafs players have you connected with?
DM: Philippe Myers, I met early in training camp. We are similar players coming in on league-minimum contracts from outside the organization. I played with Marner, Domi, and Stolarz in junior. I played with Oliver Ekman-Larsson in Arizona. It’s a good group; I’ve fit in with everyone. I leave for a month and then come back, so it’s been smooth.
SN: With the season Stolarz is having, did you see this potential in London?
DM: He and I actually left college at the same time to join London. We were roommates. You could see his size right away, and he has great athleticism, which everyone in Toronto is seeing now. Now he has a Stanley Cup ring. I’m happy for him, and it’s not surprising to me.
SN: What kind of roommate is he?
DM: He was great. Just a quirky goalie, but in a good way. We had a lot of fun together. That was 11 or 12 years ago, so it’s cool to reconnect — and back in Canada. He was the drafted player. I wasn’t sure if I would have a professional career. Here we are playing together again, just in different circumstances.
SN: What do you remember about first meeting Marner in London?
DM: He was tiny then, maybe half the size he is now. He was quiet. A very skilled, highly regarded player coming in, someone we were all excited to see play. His skill level and skating — which have only improved since then — stood out immediately. The way he moves on the ice, how elusive he is and creates space for himself is on another level. That`s what has impressed me most: he started at such a high level, but he has continued to get better as he’s gotten older.
SN: Quiet? He’s not quiet now.
DM: Initially, yes. He was the new kid, a 16-year-old. But he opened up once he got comfortable. He’s funny, comical. He likes to joke around. It’s cool to reconnect. His career speaks for itself — very successful. But he’s still the same kid you knew in junior.
SN: Pretty late in the season, but you finally made your Maple Leafs debut on Sunday. How did it feel?
DM: Exciting. When I signed with Toronto in the off-season, the goal was to wear the Maple Leaf jersey. So, it was great. It was late in the season, Game 80, but I’m glad I got to play.
SN: Any nerves stepping in when the team is trying to secure the division?
DM: No nerves, especially at this point in my career. I’ve been with different teams, played many games throughout my career, so there were no nerves. Just excitement.
SN: What does coach Craig Berube want you to bring?
DM: Nothing too complicated. They know what I bring: consistency, leadership, experience from different places. Just to be competitive, strong defensively, move the puck quickly, and let our forwards do their job.
SN: The team wants all the defensemen healthy, of course. But what would it mean to you to play in the playoffs this weekend?
DM: It would mean everything. That’s a major reason why I wanted to sign in Toronto at this point in my career. I haven’t won at the professional level. I want a chance to be part of winning. So, if I get the chance to contribute to that on the ice, that would be amazing. I would love to play. I can also contribute off the ice — push the team culture and be ready for my opportunity.
