Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

SUPERU PLAYER PROFILE: Flin Flon’s Jaeden Mercier

Flin Flon Bombers' Jaeden Mercier (Photo credit: Kelly Kocur Jacobson)

~ Image courtesy Kelly Kocur Jacobson

Were it not for injury there is little doubt among those who pay attention to the Flin Flon Bombers that Jaeden Mercier would be at or very near to the top of the league scoring charts.

The 2002-born forward missed over two months of hockey between Oct. 20 and Jan. 4, but took no time to pick up where he left off, recording at least point in all-but two of his games since then; a steady clip of 12 points in nine games.

A coach experienced in guiding a stable-full of talented offensive players over his long years in the SJHL, Bombers’ boss Mike Reagan speaks glowingly of the Saskatoon native.

“On the ice he’s very slick with the puck,” Reagan said.

“He has great vision, he makes guys miss, which not a lot of guys can do at this level. He understands how to run a power play, and many don’t understand what a PP is trying to accomplish…but Jaeden understands how to make a PP dangerous; he gets it, and how to create the looks we want.”

Mercier had to bide his time on a Flin Flon forward corps with as much veteran depth and talent as any in the league, yet with 16 points in 44 games, he was seen as one of the top rookies in the SJHL, and was a star at the SJHL/MJHL Showcase played Jan., 2020 in Regina.

On top of dealing with the pandemic, and a long mid-season injury, Mercier played only a single season of AAA U18, with his hometown Contacts in 18-19, so there is no doubting his determination to make it to the next level.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound winger also performed impressively in a few days of prospects camp with the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades in 2019.