By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
With the Providence Bruins having the American Hockey League’s best record entering the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, they will have to wait to see who their opponent will be in the Division Semifinals. One player who helped Providence clinch the AHL’s best record with 110 points this season is forward Georgii Merkulov.
Merkulov’s 37 assists and 61 points each led Providence this season, and his 24 goals were also the second-most on the roster. However, Merkulov hasn’t delivered in the AHL Playoffs despite putting up solid regular seasons with Providence in past years. Now, Merkulov will be highly motivated to deliver for Providence in the 2026 playoffs.
Merkulov has played in nine AHL Playoff games for Providence from 2022 to 2024 and has recorded just four points. In a stat that may sound shocking to some, Merkulov has never scored an AHL Playoff goal. Merkulov has produced great regular seasons for Providence, but has followed them up with poor playoff performances.
In 2022, Merkulov played in eight regular-season games and one playoff game for Providence, but wasn’t quite ready to show his potential, as he recorded no points in that playoff game. In 2023, Merkulov led Providence with 24 goals and 55 points in the regular season. Merkulov was a key reason why Providence won the Atlantic Division that year. Then, Merkulov disappointed for Providence by recording just one assist with a -2 rating in four playoff games. Providence was eventually eliminated from the 2023 playoffs by the Hartford Wolf Pack in the Division Semifinals.
In 2024, Merkulov posted career highs of 30 goals and 65 points, both of which also led Providence in the regular season. However, just like the year before, Merkulov struggled in the playoffs by recording three assists in four playoff games. Providence’s season ended with a series loss in the Division Semifinals to Hartford again.
A major reason Merkulov will be highly motivated to deliver in the playoffs this year is because of last season’s finish. Merkulov led Providence with 39 assists and 54 points last regular season. However, Merkulov sustained an upper-body injury before the regular season concluded. As a result of his injury, Merkulov missed the 2025 playoffs entirely. With Merkulov out of the lineup, Providence’s chances of going deep in the playoffs were hurt. In the end, the Charlotte Checkers eliminated Providence in the Division Semifinals. Had Merkulov played in the 2025 playoffs, Providence’s season could have ended differently.
Merkulov is now healthy in 2026. With playoff struggles from 2022 to 2024, and not being able to play in the 2025 playoffs, Merkulov’s 2025-26 season gives Providence high optimism that he will put his playoff demons behind him this time around.
Merkulov will be heavily relied on by Providence for offensive production. Merkulov, Riley Tufte, Patrick Brown, Matej Blumel, Matthew Poitras, and Fabian Lysell offer a talented top-six up front to produce offense. Now, Merkulov and Providence have to show why they finished as the AHL’s best team in 2026 when they begin the playoffs in the Division Semifinals.
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