A look at the players from the Bruins that earned candidacy in our “20 Under 25” rankings for 2024.
Georgii Merkulov's time to shine in the NHL is almost here.
The Boston Bruins called up the exciting prospect from the AHL's Providence Bruins on Friday. They assigned Patrick Brown to Providence in a corresponding move. Merkulov could make his NHL debut Saturday in Boston's game against the New Jersey Devils.
Merkulov has been fantastic for the P-Bruins this season. He leads the team in goals (14), assists (16) and points (30). No one else on the P-Bruins has tallied more than 21 points. His 30 points in 31 games rank fourth in the entire AHL. Merkulov led the P-Bruins with 55 points (24 goals, 31 assists) last season.
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The Bruins could definitely use a player of Merkulov's offensive skill set. They rank 25th in 5-on-5 goals and 21st in total goals. Secondary scoring has been a problem, as Jake DeBrusk hasn't scored in 11 games and James van Riemsdyk has one goal in his last 16 games.
The B's need a spark on the wing, and Merkulov has the vision, playmaking ability and shot to generate chances consistently. He's also become a better two-way player by improving his defense over the last two seasons.
“I think the thing that’s been the most promising things we’re hearing is how quickly he’s closing at D-zone and how his 200-foot game has up ticked,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after Thursday's practice. “It’s not surprising you hear about someone’s 200-foot game getting better and he’s (fourth) in scoring. … Good defense leads to offense.”
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Bruins general manager Don Sweeney might need to make a move for a veteran middle-six winger before the trade deadline in March. However, it would be better to fill this need internally, so it's good that Merkulov is getting a chance to prove himself.
The Bruins have already integrated a few prospects into their lineup this season, most notably centers Matthew Poitras and John Beecher, as well as defenseman Mason Lohrei.