MINNESOTA WILD SIGNS FORWARD JOSEPH CRAMAROSSA AND DEFENSEMAN DAKOTA MERMIS TO ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACTS
Oct 9, 2020SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed forward Joseph Cramarossa ($700,000/$160,000) and defenseman Dakota Mermis ($700,000/$160,000) to one-year, two-way contracts for the 2020-21 season.
Cramarossa, 27 (10/26/92), spent the 2019-20 season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Rockford and totaled 15 points (7-8=15), 56 shots and 126 penalty minutes (PIM) in 51 games. The 6-foot, 195-pound native of Markham, Ontario, ranked third in the AHL in PIM and T-3rd in shootout goals (3). The left-shot forward recorded a career-high four-game point streak (4a) from Dec. 31-Jan. 8 and netted his first career power-play goal on Dec. 21 vs. Cleveland. He owns 84 points (37-47=84), 511 PIM, four shorthanded goals, seven game-winning goals and 353 shots in 336 career AHL contests with Norfolk, San Diego, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Stockton and Rockford (2013-20). The winger has four goals, eight PIM, one shorthanded goal and nine shots in 14 career Calder Cup Playoff games with Norfolk (2014), San Diego (2016) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (2018).
Cramarossa collected 138 points (51-87=138), 333 PIM, a plus-34 rating, nine PPG, seven shorthanded goals and seven game-winning goals in 235 career games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with Mississauga and Belleville (2009-13). He set career highs as an alternate captain with Belleville in goals (19), assists (44) and points (63) during the 2012-13 season. The forward recorded 19 points (9-10=19) and 70 PIM in 51 career playoff games and helped Mississauga advance to the finals during the 2011 playoffs.
Cramarossa was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round (65th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He owns 10 points (4-6=10), 60 PIM, 133 hits and 23 blocked shots in 59 career NHL games with Anaheim and Vancouver (2016-17). He made his NHL debut with the Ducks on Oct. 23, 2016 vs. Vancouver and registered his first career goal Nov. 1, 2016 at Los Angeles.
Mermis, 26 (1/5/94), recorded 19 points (3-16=19), two power-play goals (PPG), a plus-6 rating, 23 PIM and 79 shots in 53 games with the Binghamton Devils in the AHL during the 2019-20 season. The 6-foot, 194-pound native of Alton, Ill., led team defensemen in assists, points, PIM, ranked second in PPG and third in shots. He posted his first career back-to-back multi-point games (4a) Feb. 15-17. The left-shot blueliner also skated in 10 games with the New Jersey Devils last season and recorded four points (1-3=4), a plus-7 rating, four PIM, 17 shots, 20 hits and 21 blocked shots. He netted his first career NHL goal on March 6 vs. St. Louis and registered his first career multi-point game (2a) on March 7 at the New York Rangers.
Mermis has 87 points (13-74=87), 250 PIM, three PPG, one shorthanded goal, three game-winning goals and 428 shots in 304 career AHL games with Springfield, Tucson and Binghamton (2015-20). The blueliner served as captain of the Roadrunners during the 2018-19 season and was an alternate captain during the 2017-18 campaign. He totaled five points (3-2=5), 11 PIM and 15 shots in nine Calder Cup Playoff contests with Tucson during the 2018 postseason. Prior to his professional career, Mermis registered 66 points (13-53=66), a plus-103 rating, 196 PIM, four shorthanded goals and three GWG with London and Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in three seasons (2012-15). He won the OHL Championship with the Knights in 2013 and with the Generals in 2015.
Mermis was signed as a free agent by Arizona on July 2, 2015 and made his NHL debut with the Coyotes on Nov. 2, 2017 vs. Buffalo. He owns four points (1-3=4), four PIM, 25 hits and 27 blocked shots in 20 career NHL games with Arizona and New Jersey (2017-20).
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