By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter/X @KennyKaminsky
Boston Bruins’ top prospect, Georgii Merkulov, has often been underrated throughout his career, from his time in the United States Hockey League with the Youngstown Phantoms to his two years at Ohio State. Following the conclusion of his college season in 2021-22, Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney signed him. Since then, Merkulov has been excelling in the American Hockey League (AHL); last season, he was selected for the AHL All-Star Game and led the Providence Bruins in points.
Merkulov wanted to make the Boston Bruins roster out of training camp this preseason. The Bruins even permitted Georgii to skip the prospect challenge in Buffalo, New York, to focus on the demands of the National Hockey League Training Camp. During the early practices, Merkulov was impressing the coaching staff, but the looming issue was that there would be no role in the big club if center Matthew Poitras were well enough to continue playing at an NHL level. The lineup’s versatility did not bode well for the Russian center’s situation, as it was more plausible for the team to move a player to the center than to take Georgii.
During the first preseason game, Merkulov started sluggishly. However, he contributed by assisting on a goal by Cole Koepke, which opened the scoring. Merkulov won a board battle, positioned himself well, and made an excellent pass to defenseman Billy Sweezey. Sweezey’s shot resulted in a rebound that Koepke capitalized on to score. One area of concern for the 5’11”, 175-pound player was his faceoff percentage, which needed improvement as he struggled against the strength of his NHL opponents. The fans were vocal in their desire to see more from him.
The second game was significantly better for him, as he was paired with his former teammate from Providence, Justin Brazeau, and NHL veteran Tyler Johnson. Merkulov appeared much more in sync and delivered one of the best assists of the preseason by making a behind-the-net, behind-the-back pass to Brazeau, who successfully shot it past Washington Capitals netminder and former AHL Goalie of the Year, Hunter Shephard. Although the rest of his preseason was uneventful regarding statistics, he played well before being sent to AHL training camp.
To start the AHL season, Georgii is among the top three players on his team in points, recording one goal and four assists for five points in eight games. He has developed a strong connection with Vinni Lettieri, as all four of Merkulov’s assists have been on Lettieri’s goals. However, one criticism of his performance this season has been his lack of shot attempts, which was also noticeable during his time in the NHL.
Georgii showcased his offensive skills during the power play last season. That part of his game still needs work, as he has been moved from the first power-play unit. He scored his first goal of the season with a powerful wrist shot that allowed him to score his impressive goal against Laval Rocket goaltender Connor Hughes, beating him over the shoulder. The goal came from a straightforward play following a turnover, where he quickly took the shot. We hope to see more of this offensive confidence in the future.
Even though Georgii Merkulov did not make the team out of training camp, he remains a significant asset for the team’s future. This is the final year of his three-year entry-level contract. If Merkulov is given an additional season to develop, he could be in Boston to start the following season. He has performed excellently in the AHL, and I hope to see him stay with the team for the long term.
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