Jon Merrill

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Jon Merrill

| image = Jon Merrill - New Jersey Devils 2.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Merrill with the New Jersey Devils in 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|3}}

| birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 205

| position = Defense

| shoots = Left

| league = NHL

| team = Minnesota Wild

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| former_teams = New Jersey Devils
Vegas Golden Knights
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens

| ntl_team = USA

| draft = 38th overall

| draft_year = 2010

| draft_team = New Jersey Devils

| career_start = 2013

| career_end =

}}

Jonathon Merrill (born February 3, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights, Detroit Red Wings, and Montreal Canadiens. The Devils selected Merrill in the second round, 38th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life

Merrill was born February 3, 1992, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.{{cite web |title=Jon Merrill Stats and News |url=https://www.nhl.com/wild/player/jon-merrill-8475750 |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=September 27, 2023}} His family moved to Grand Blanc, Michigan, three years later, and Merrill began playing ice hockey with his older brother at the age of four.{{cite news |last=Feldman |first=Dan |title=Incoming Michigan freshman and former Grand Blanc resident Jon Merrill's NHL draft hopes hinge on how teams view his maturity |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/flint/2010/06/incoming_michigan_freshman_and.html |work=The Flint Journal |date=June 24, 2010 |access-date=September 27, 2023}} He went on to play minor ice hockey with the Detroit Little Caesars youth team,{{cite news |last=McWethy |first=Brett |title=Hockeytown Homecoming: Merrill grateful to join Red Wings |url=https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/hockeytown-homecoming-merrill-grateful-to-join-red-wings-319617606 |publisher=National Hockey League |agency=Detroit Red Wings |date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=September 27, 2023}} appearing with the team at the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|page=134|access-date=February 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|archive-date=March 6, 2019}} A childhood fan of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Detroit Red Wings, Merrill was selected as one of the team's flag bearers during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs.{{cite news |last=St. James |first=Helene |title=Bobby Ryan, Jon Merrill explain why they picked the Detroit Red Wings in free agency |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2020/10/09/bobby-ryan-jon-merrill-detroit-red-wings/5940385002/ |work=Detroit Free Press |date=October 9, 2020 |access-date=September 27, 2023}} In high school, Merrill spent two years with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP), based not far from his home in Brighton, Michigan.{{cite news |last=Kulfan |first=Ted |title=Jon Merrill elated about returning to Michigan, playing for hometown Red Wings |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2020/10/09/jon-merrill-elated-returning-michigan-playing-hometown-red-wings/5941966002/ |work=The Detroit News |date=October 9, 2020 |access-date=September 27, 2023}} During the 2009–10 season, Merrill had one goal and eight assists in 22 games for the NTDP.{{cite news |last=Arnold |first=Jeff |title=Incoming Michigan hockey player Jon Merrill focused more on the future than NHL Draft |url=https://www.annarbor.com/sports/incoming-u-m-defenseman-jon-merrill-focused-more-on-the-future-than-on-nhl-draft/ |work=The Ann Arbor News |date=June 23, 2010 |access-date=September 27, 2023}} During his time at the NTDP, he and three other players, including Matt Nieto, were suspended for sexual harassment and lewd behaviour.

Playing career

=College=

File:Jon Merrill.jpg team for the 2011–12 season.]]

Prior to turning professional, Merrill played NCAA college hockey with the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team.

Merrill was suspended for the first 12 games of the 2011–12 season by the University of Michigan for "violating team rules."{{cite web|title=Merrill Suspended for 12 Games|url=https://mgoblue.com/news/2011/10/1/Merrill_Suspended_for_12_Games.aspx|website=mgoblue.com|accessdate=May 20, 2018|date=October 1, 2011}}{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=382842| title = McKenzie: Jon Merrill Trying to get Career Back on Track| date = December 15, 2011| accessdate = April 21, 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130917200236/http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=382842| archive-date = 2013-09-17| url-status = dead}}

=Professional=

==New Jersey Devils (2013–2017)==

On March 27, 2013, the New Jersey Devils signed Merrill to a three-year entry-level contract, and he began the 2013–14 season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Albany Devils.{{cite web | url = http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/jon_merrill_signs_3-year_entry-level_contract_with_devils_to_play_remainder_of_season_in_albany/ | title = Jon Merrill signs three year contract with Devils; to play remainder of season in Albany | publisher = Fire & Ice.com | date = 2013-03-27 | accessdate = 2013-03-27 | archive-date = November 5, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131105012128/http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/jon_merrill_signs_3-year_entry-level_contract_with_devils_to_play_remainder_of_season_in_albany/ | url-status = dead }}

In the 2013–14 season, Merrill made his NHL debut on November 3, 2013, skating with the Devils in a game against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, but less than five minutes into he game he fell into the boards, sustaining severe facial lacerations and a concussion.{{cite web| url = http://www.northjersey.com/sports/230451581_Devils_notes__Jon_Merrill_injured_in_debut.html | title = Devils notes: Jon Merrill injured in debut | publisher = NorthJersey.com | date = 2013-11-03 | accessdate = 2013-11-03}}{{cite web| url = https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/devils-confirm-merrill-suffered-concussion-in-nhl-debut | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205214940/https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/devils-confirm-merrill-suffered-concussion-in-nhl-debut |archive-date= December 5, 2023 |title = Devils confirm Merrill suffered concussion in debut | publisher = NBC Sports | date = 2013-11-03 | accessdate = 2013-11-04}}

He scored his first NHL goal on February 7, 2014, a game winner in overtime against Ilya Bryzgalov of the Edmonton Oilers,{{cite web|title=Merrill's first NHL goal lifts Devils over Oilers|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/merrills-first-nhl-goal-lifts-devils-over-oilers/|website=sportsnet.ca|accessdate=May 20, 2018|date=February 7, 2014}} making him the first Devil to score his first NHL goal in overtime.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}

==Vegas Golden Knights (2017–2020)==

On June 21, 2017, Merrill was selected in the NHL Expansion Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.{{cite web|last1=Pinchevsky|first1=Tal|title=Vegas Golden Knights Focus on Defense in N.H.L. Expansion Draft|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/sports/hockey/vegas-golden-knights-expansion-draft-fleury.html|website=The New York Times|accessdate=June 22, 2017|date=June 22, 2017}} On January 16, 2018, Merrill signed a two-year, $2.75 million contract extension with the Golden Knights.{{cite web|title=Jon Merrill Signs Two-Year Contract Extension, AAV $1.375 Million|url=https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/jon-merrill-signs-two-year-contract-extension-aav-1375-million/c-294996446|website=NHL.com|accessdate=January 16, 2018|date=January 16, 2018}}

==Detroit Red Wings (2020–2021)==

After three seasons as an original member of the Golden Knights, Merrill left the club as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, $925,000 contract with the Detroit Red Wings on October 9, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/jon-merrill-signs-deal-with-red-wings/c-319399344 |title=Detroit, Jon Merrill reach one-year agreement |first=Kyle |last=Kujawa |publisher= Detroit Red Wings |date=October 9, 2020 |accessdate=October 9, 2020}} In the shortened 2020–21 season, Merrill registered five assists in 36 games from the blueline for the Red Wings before he was dealt at the trade deadline to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Hayden Verbeek and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft on April 11, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/detrot-red-wings-trades-jon-merrill-to-montreal-canadiens/c-323534204 |title=Merrill traded to Canadiens by Red Wings |website=NHL.com |first=Tim |last=Campbell |date=April 11, 2021 |access-date=April 11, 2021}}

==Montreal Canadiens (2021)==

Merrill made 13 further regular season appearances with the Canadiens, going scoreless, before featuring in 13 playoff games in helping Montreal reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.{{cite web|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/2021/06/24/jon-merill-montreal-canadiens-stanley-cup-2021-roster/7780369002/|title=It took over 100 years, but a native Oklahoman is finally playing in the Stanley Cup Finals|work=The Oklahoman|date=June 24, 2021|accessdate=November 19, 2023}}

==Minnesota Wild (2021–present)==

As a free agent from the Canadiens, Merrill joined his fifth NHL organization in agreeing to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a one-year, $850,000 contract on July 29, 2021.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/jon-merrill-one-year-contract-072921/c-325869788 | title = Wild agree to terms with Jon Merrill on one-year contract | publisher = Minnesota Wild | date = July 29, 2021 | accessdate = July 30, 2021}}

On January 11, 2022, Merrill was signed to a three-year, $3.6 million extension with the Wild.{{cite web |title=Wild Agrees to Terms with Defenseman Jon Merrill on Three-Year Deal |url=https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/wild-merrill-agree-to-three-year-extension-329677408 |website=NHL.com |access-date=November 12, 2023 |date=January 11, 2022}}

International play

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}

Merrill first represented the United States internationally at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he recorded two assists in seven games en route to a gold medal victory over Sweden.{{cite web |title=Jon Merrill |url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show/705512-jon-merrill |publisher=USA Hockey |access-date=September 27, 2023}} He won another gold medal the next year at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, recording one assist in seven games and being named one of the top three Team USA players in the tournament.{{cite news |title=U.S. strikes gold at U18 World Championships |url=http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=1576 |publisher=North American Hockey League |date=April 26, 2010 |access-date=September 27, 2023}}

Personal life

Jon is married to Jessica Merrill. Together, they are advocates for the LGBTQ community {{cite web | url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-wild-jon-merrill-stick-tape-twin-cities-pride-night-queerspace/600314612/ | title=Wild's Jon Merrill was going to break NHL rule on rainbow stick tape; now he won't have to | website=Star Tribune |date=October 25, 2023 |author= McLellan, Sarah}} He spoke out against the NHL policy banning teams from wearing themed jerseys, specifically Pride Night jerseys, after several players across the league sat out of warm-ups instead of wearing the jerseys on Pride nights.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/wild-jon-merrill-nhl-pride-204700245.html |title= Wild's Jon Merrill on NHL's Pride Night directive: 'I don't understand it'|author= Shipley, John|date= October 11, 2023 |access-date=January 21, 2025 |website= Yahoo! Sports}} Jon and Jessica were named "2024 Allies of the Year" for Twin Cities Pride.{{cite web | url=https://tcpride.org/grand-marshal-reception/ | title=Grand Marshal Reception – Twin Cities Pride }}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2008–09

| U.S. NTDP U17

| USDP

| 24

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| U.S. NTDP U18

| USDP

| 19

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 6

| —

2008–09

| U.S. NTDP U18

| NAHL

| 26

| 2

| 4

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| U.S. NTDP Juniors

| USHL

| 22

| 1

| 8

| 9

| 12

| —

2009–10

| U.S. NTDP U17

| USDP

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| U.S. NTDP U18

| USDP

| 56

| 5

| 27

| 32

| 18

| —

2010–11

| University of Michigan

| CCHA

| 42

| 7

| 18

| 25

| 16

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| University of Michigan

| CCHA

| 19

| 2

| 9

| 11

| 15

| —

2012–13

| University of Michigan

| CCHA

| 21

| 2

| 9

| 11

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Albany Devils

| AHL

| 12

| 1

| 7

| 8

| 4

| —

2013–14

| Albany Devils

| AHL

| 15

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 0

| 4

| 1

| 2

| 10

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 52

| 2

| 9

| 11

| 12

| —

2014–15

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 66

| 2

| 12

| 14

| 24

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 47

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 28

| —

2016–17

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 51

| 1

| 5

| 6

| 24

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Vegas Golden Knights

| NHL

| 34

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 22

| 8

| 0

| 10

2018–19

| Vegas Golden Knights

| NHL

| 57

| 3

| 12

| 15

| 53

| 7

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Vegas Golden Knights

| NHL

| 49

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 32

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

2020–21

| Detroit Red Wings

| NHL

| 36

| 0

| 5

| 12

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 13

| 0

| 4

| 13

| 0

2021–22

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 69

| 4

| 16

| 20

| 22

| 6

| 0

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 73

| 2

| 10

| 12

| 38

| 2

| 0

| 2

2023–24

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 65

| 4

| 7

| 11

| 30

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2024–25

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 70

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 20

| 2

| 0

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 682

! 24

! 91

! 115

! 321

! 39

! 0

! 2

! 12

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2009

| United States

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 7

| 0

| 2

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010

| United States

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 7

| 0

| 1

| 2

2011

| United States

| WJC

| {{bronze3}}

| 6

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012

| United States

| WJC

| 7th

| 6

| 0

| 4

| 6

2022

| United States

| WC

| 4th

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 25

! 1

! 11

! 12

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 1

! 0

Awards and honors

class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year ! Ref
colspan="3"\|College
NCAA All-Tournament Team \| 2011 \| {{cite news\|title=NCAA Frozen Four Records\|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/frozen_4/2009/f4recs.pdf\|publisher=NCAA.org\|accessdate=2013-06-19}}

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

! Ref

colspan="3"|College

NCAA All-Tournament Team

| 2011

| {{cite news|title=NCAA Frozen Four Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/frozen_4/2009/f4recs.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|accessdate=2013-06-19}}