What To Expect From Bruins Prospect In Latest NHL Tour Of Duty

Fans have been clamoring for the Bruins to give top prospect Georgii Merkulov another shot with the club in Boston after a short three-game stint earlier in the campaign.

The Black and Gold faithful may just get their wish since the Bruins recalled the 24-year-old Russian center Friday from Providence ahead of Boston’s two-game road trip this weekend.

The Bruins need depth scoring, with Trent Frederic on the shelf and other forwards, such as Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle, underperforming compared to last season. Merkulov could be the answer Boston is looking for.

Merkulov has consistently demonstrated his scoring ability and offensive prowess, tallying 13 goals and 31 assists for 44 points in 47 games for Providence this season.

In his third professional season, Merkulov has a pass-first mentality coupled with the ability to make tape-to-tape passes on both the forehand and backhand, which bodes well for his teammates’ scoring chances.

Aside from having the ability to create offense for those around him, Merkulov’s quick release and accurate shot make him a scoring threat from anywhere in the offensive zone.

If Merkulov cracks the lineup against either the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday or the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, it would make perfect sense for interim head coach Joe Sacco to slot him with Matthew Poitras on the third line.

While playing on the same line in Providence with Vinni Lettieri, the pair had some of their best offensive outputs. Merkulov scored three goals and recorded nine assists, and Poitras tallied seven goals and six assists in a 10-game span during which the Baby B’s went 7-2-1.

The chemistry they built in the AHL should translate to the NHL and the Bruins need offensive production from skaters other than David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie.