Bruins recall Georgii Merkulov from Providence, forward will make NHL debut Saturday
"The reason he got called up is because of his 200-foot game, not because he's scoring a lot."
After a hot start to the season in Providence, forward Georgii Merkulov is set for his NHL debut on Saturday night.
The Bruins recalled Merkulov and assigned Patrick Brown to the AHL Bruins on Friday morning. The 23-year-old got to acclimate himself with his new teammates during practice before taking his rookie lap against the New Jersey Devils.
“He gets the opportunity to play his first NHL game tomorrow night and that’s exciting,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery told reporters Friday. “And that’s good energy to bring to the group as well.”
Merkulov’s offensive zone capabilities have been on full display in Providence. In 31 games played this season, he has 14 goals and 16 assists. The Bruins are in need of more offensive firepower; they currently rank in the bottom half of the NHL in goals per game.
However, scoring hasn’t been Boston’s only issue during its recent struggles. Defensive breakdowns harmed the Bruins a handful of times during their losing streak. Merkulov will need to provide a spark on both sides of the ice if he wants a prolonged stay in the NHL.
“We want to score more, but we don’t want to score more and sacrifice our team defense,” Montgomery said. “That message has been made clear to [Merkulov]. The reason he got called up is because of his 200-foot game, not because he’s scoring a lot.”
Merkulov said his defensive game has improved over the course of the season. He’s looking forward to showcasing his skills at the highest level, and he’s also aware that his moment may not last long if he doesn’t show he can hang around with the pace and physicality of NHL hockey.
“It’s really exciting … my dad told me to play every game like it’s my last game and just enjoy it,” Merkulov said.
Merkulov skated with James van Riemsdyk and Trent Frederic during practice and it looks like that’ll continue into Saturday. Merkulov recalled seeing van Riemsdyk from a young age and said the veteran was helpful during his first day up.
Montgomery explained the decision to slot Merkulov in where he did.
“You want to put him in a situation where he’s going to play minutes, and you want to put him in a situation where he’s playing with offensive players,” Montgomery said.
Puck drop for Bruins-Devils is set for 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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