Dakota Mermis is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs on their West Coast road trip.
The defenseman was called up on Monday ahead of their practice in Calgary, with Fraser Minten being sent down to the Marlies.
Maple Leafs F Fraser Minten has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
D Dakota Mermis has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) February 3, 2025
The move comes after Oliver Ekman-Larsson suffered a lower-body injury in Toronto’s 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. The veteran defenseman played just over five minutes in the game before leaving the Maple Leafs bench.
Ekman-Larsson and Mitch Marner are having maintenance days, per the Maple Leafs.
Max Domi skated in Marner’s spot on the top line at practice while Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev were reunited on defense. Mermis skated as the extra defender on Monday in Calgary.
#Leafs lines during practice Feb. 3/25
Knies-Matthews-Domi
Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander
McMann-Homberg-Robertson
Lorentz-Kampf-Reaves
Absent: Marner (maintenance)Rielly-Myers
McCabe-Tanev
Benoit-Timmins
Mermis
Absent: OEL (maintenance, lower-body)Stolarz, Woll@BodogCA
— David Alter (@dalter) February 3, 2025
Mermis joins Toronto’s NHL squad after 12 games with the Marlies, where he registered three assists while playing throughout the team’s defense.
The Maple Leafs signed the 31-year-old to a one-year, $775,000 contract in the summer. However, he began the season on the team’s long-term injured reserve after suffering a broken jaw in training camp.
Once able to return, Toronto placed Mermis on waivers in hopes he’d clear and play in the AHL. The defenseman was claimed by the Utah Hockey Club on Dec. 12 and played one game with the club before going back on waivers in early January.
The Maple Leafs claimed the defenseman off of waivers and were able to assign him to the Marlies.
Related: Maple Leafs Reclaim Dakota Mermis Off Waivers From Utah, Assign The Defenseman To Marlies
Two seasons ago, Mermis played in a career-high 47 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild, scoring three goals and five assists for an eight-point total. In 75 NHL games, the defender has four goals and eight assists while averaging 14:25 of ice time.
To have Mermis on the active roster, they needed to send a player to the Marlies.
Minten returns to the AHL after four games in the NHL, where he didn’t register a point. The 20-year-old has two goals and two assists in 15 games with the Maple Leafs this season. He’s recorded five goals and five assists in 16 AHL games.
The Marlies just finished up their own West Coast road trip. They don’t play again until Friday when they host the Laval Rocket at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
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