Bruins Georgii Merkulov Must Improve Defensively to Make NHL

In April, the Boston Bruins signed a skilled, hard-working forward prospect in Georgii Merkulov. The 5-foot-11 winger would finish off a strong rookie campaign with the Ohio State Buckeyes, scoring 20 goals and 34 points in 36 games before signing an entry-level deal with the Bruins. Prior to his time with Ohio State, the Russian-born forward would score 20 goals and 77 points in 74 USHL games with the Youngstown Phantoms; in general, he’s been no stranger to producing offense at every stop he’s had in his career. This also seemed to be the case through his first eight games in the AHL, scoring one goal and five points in that time.

The Bruins could certainly use an infusion of skill added to their lineup in the near future, and Merkulov has the potential to contribute in that regard. It won’t be an easy path for Merkulov, but the path to being a successful player at the professional level is never easy. Skill can only get a player so far and many superbly skilled players never carve out a career at the NHL level due simply to the lack of a work ethic.

Though Merkulov is a tremendously gifted and skilled player, it’s his willingness to put in work and improve on his deficiencies that could really aid him in eventually making it to the NHL. This extends far beyond just hockey, too, as his work to learn the English language when moving from Ryazan, Russia to the United States is a testament to his commitment to being in the NHL in and of itself.

Amalie Benjamin would detail this work in a feature on Merkulov, stating that he challenged himself to learn 50 new English words daily. He would liken this experience to that of being a baby; unable to articulate his thoughts to others and limited to simply listening. As he improved, though, he was able to express himself even if his pronunciations still weren’t good enough for those around him to fully understand what he was saying. Still, the point for him was to continue working and improving to better himself and his chances of making the NHL.

Merkulov Needs to Round Out His Game To Make the NHL

Merkulov’s ability in the offensive zone is unquestioned. His work ethic also cannot be disputed. These two traits alone could facilitate an NHL opportunity one day. What does leave room for improvement, however, is his work in the defensive zone. This has been a…