The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenceman Dakota Mermis to a one-year contract, the team announced on Tuesday. The contract will take an annual cap hit of $775,000 for the upcoming season.
The six-foot, left-handed defenceman has spent the past four seasons with the Minnesota Wild. During that time, Mermis predominantly played for their AHL affiliate in Iowa, but suited up for 47 games at the NHL level throughout the 2023-2024 campaign.
The 30-year-old, Alton, IL. native originally signed with the Arizona Coyotes as a free agent in 2015 and appeared in 251 games totalling 68 points with their farm system. He briefly suited up for the New Jersey Devils franchise during the 2019-2020 season before making the move to the Wild the following year.
Prior to the beginning of his professional career, Mermis played for four seasons in the OHL. Following three years with the London Knights, his final stint was with the Oshawa Generals, where he ended up hoisting the Memorial Cup in 2015.