By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
Providence Bruins forward Georgii Merkulov was honored before last night’s game at the Amica Mutual Pavilion with the 2026 Coca-Cola Northeast Leading Goal Scorer Award, capping off an impressive 2025-26 regular season in the American Hockey League. Merkulov, 25, led the way for the Bruins with 24 goals and 37 assists, totaling 61 points across 70 games.
This achievement extends an already remarkable AHL career for the Russian native, who has now surpassed the 50-point mark in each of his four seasons with Providence. Undrafted and standing at 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds, Merkulov has become a consistent offensive force, amassing 240 points over 271 career AHL games.
As he approaches unrestricted free agency under group six eligibility, Merkulov’s future with the Bruins organization remains uncertain. His performance this season, however, has certainly turned heads once again. Whether he returns to Providence or seeks new opportunities, his scoring prowess and shooting threat on the man advantage will make him a sought-after player this summer, either here in North America or overseas playing in Europe/KHL.
This year, on February 1st, 2026, Merkulov passed former Providence Bruins forward Andy Hilbert for the AHL franchise’s all-time points lead. The threshold was crossed when the former Ohio State University Buckeye notched an assist on a first-period goal from defenseman Victor Soderstrom, who scored his 4th of the season in a 3-0 Michael DiPietro shutout over the host Charlotte Checkers on the road at the Bojangles Coliseum, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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