Waivers: Toronto Maple Leafs Officially Claim Defenseman
The Toronto Maple Leafs ended up claiming an old friend on Friday as they've re-acquired defenseman Dakota Mermis off waivers from Utah.
Earlier this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a move to waive defenseman Dakota Mermis due to roster restrictions and him not having played yet for the team. Utah claimed him, and it looked like he would be finding a new home for this season.
Fast forward to 2025 however and it must feel like Groundhog Day came early for Mermis as he was reclaimed by the Maple Leafs off waivers after Utah placed him there.
Toronto will have to wait and see if any other teams want to put their name in the hat for Mermis' services however it is more than likely he will head back to the blue and white at which point he will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies.
Dakota Mermis' Acquisition A Key Depth Move For Maple Leafs
It's a great move from GM Brad Treliving as he was able to open up a roster spot earlier and be able to have an inkling he could bring the defenseman back at some point in the season.
Mermis signed a one-year, $775,000 contract this summer with the Maple Leafs and while he was recovering from a very serious jaw injury, he was able to see some ice time albeit minimally in practice.
After playing a handful of games in the NCAA, he took his talents elsewhere to the OHL and won a Memorial Cup in 2015. He was able to sign with the Arizona Coyotes and played sparingly before signing with New Jersey.
He signed with Minnesota and played their for four years, mainly with their AHL affiliate Iowa. For his career, he has 12 points in 75 games. He's 30 years old, so while he still has some youth, he's struggling to find a stable spot in a lineup.
It's unknown if Mermis is going to get a shot at the NHL level again and barring some catastrophic injuries or downfalls, it will be hard to see him find time with the big league squad, especially since he's a bit undersized for Craig Berube.
