MERSCH BROTHERS ‘GRATEFUL TO BE TOGETHER’ AT AMERKS TRAINING CAMP
Oct 4, 2023By Warren Kosel
For as long as he can remember, Dominick Mersch followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Michael.
Michael broke into hockey at a relatively young age, one of many sports he would excel in while growing up in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois. Naturally, Dominick, who’s six years his junior, would follow suit.
“My dad got us both into hockey and Mike kind of ran with it and then I started and fell in love it just from going to rinks and watching him play,” recalled Dominick after Tuesday’s practice at Blue Cross Arena.”
Michael’s hockey journey would continue onto the U.S. National Team Development Program before eventually leading him to the University of Wisconsin, where in four seasons with the Badgers, became one of the most decorated players in program history.
Seeing first-hand the success of his brother, and showing just as much promise, Dominick, too, left home to embark on his junior career. A brief two-game stint with the U.S. National Under-17 Team, a squad that also featured ex-Amerk Griffin Luce, a former teammate of Michael’s in 2020-21, would soon become a three-year stay with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League.
From there, Dominick turned his sights on collegiate hockey. It should come as no surprise that he’d find a home in Madison, Wisconsin, continuing the Mersch legacy within the Badgers program five years after Michael’s departure.
Dominick played all five seasons under Tony Granato, including his final as team captain in 2022-23, while Michael’s tenure was under Mike Eaves.
Michael, a fourth-round pick (110th overall) of the Los Angeles Kings in 2011, immediately turned pro following his senior season at Wisconsin, joining the Manchester Monarchs, then the American Hockey League affiliate of the Kings, for a brief seven-game audition at the end of 2013-14 campaign.
The following year, Michael would lead Manchester to the Calder Cup as a rookie, paving way for a career with more than 530 AHL games and five seasons with 20 or more goals.
Dominick, too, would turn pro after his final year at Wisconsin, joining the Chicago Wolves for two games last season despite going undrafted.
Fast forwards to the present, after years of Dominick following Michael, the brothers’ respective paths have intersected, leading to a family reunion of sorts in Rochester and an opportunity neither one thought would be possible.
Michael, now an established AHL veteran and three-year captain of the Amerks, gets to share his love for the game with Dominick on the eve of the latter’s first professional season after signing a contract with the Jacksonville Icemen, Rochester’s new ECHL affiliate.
For the first time ever, the Mersch brothers are on the same sheet of ice together this week at Amerks training camp and its an experience they both have been looking forward to since Dominick signed earlier this summer.
“It’s been great having him here in camp,” said Michael after Monday’s practice. “He’s really embraced being here and it’s really a great opportunity for him. He works really hard and earns every opportunity that he gets. I know he’s trying to make the most of it and make a good impression."
Making it all the more special is the fact that the Mersch brothers, sons of a former college hockey player, are able to have this opportunity, especially being six years apart and at different points of their respective careers.
“From a family standpoint, it’s great. We’re six years apart, so this is really the first chance we’ve ever had to be on a team together. It’s super special and we’re both so grateful to have this opportunity. But we also know there’s work to be done. We’re both trying to get ready for a season, so that we can have a good start individually and help our teams have success.”
For Dominick, though, this is also an opportunity to learn the pro game from his brother, someone he admits he’s always looked up to as a mentor and role model. Michael, naturally, has taken Dominick under his wing, showing him how he prepares and doing all the little things it takes in order to compete at this level as he enters his first pro season.
Dominick received an early introduction into the organization when he was invited to participate in the Prospects Challenge last month, an annual event hosted by the Buffalo Sabres to showcase some of the up-and-coming prospects in the organization’s pipeline.
Michael, as expected, was front and center watching his brother compete against the top prospects of other NHL organizations.
“It’s been great so far,” said Dominick. “It was nice to get to know everyone and get a feel for things in Buffalo over the prospects tournament and main camp and then coming here. The past two days have been great, the practices have been hard and exciting, and being in the locker room with this group of guys has been pretty cool.”
To top it all off, Dominick gets to learn the game from someone he’s followed closely – both figuratively and quite literally – his entire life.
“He’s just always been a great role model,” said Dominick. “I got to watch him play at Wisconsin when he was there and it was a big reason why I wanted to go there, too. Just training with him throughout the summers, especially as of late as I turned pro, he’s taught me a lot. Being here and get to experience it with him is really cool.”
While Dominick is slated to start the season in Jacksonville, he’s hopeful his hard work will eventually lead him back to Rochester on an AHL contract so the brothers can do something they always dreamed of – playing professionally together.
“Right now, I’m just trying to work my butt off and leave a good impression with the staff before I head down to Jacksonville and hopefully have a good start to the season. If there’s any openings, hopefully I’m available for a call-up.”
For now, though, Dominick will continue living up to the Mersch name and learning from his older brother.