If you’re a fan of the Boston Bruins, it’s very likely you’ve heard the names Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov quite a bit this offseason. It makes sense, given that they are arguably the two best forward prospects in the Bruins system and have the best chances of filling a significant role on the team’s NHL roster this season. For this reason, all eyes were on these two young forwards during the Bruins’ first preseason game of the season on Sunday. Unfortunately, neither seemed to find their rhythm in the contest, leaving much to be desired by the team, media, and fans alike.
Though Lysell and Merkulov both have strong offensive skill sets, neither did much in the Bruins’ 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. In fact, they were the only two Bruins players to finish the game without a shot on goal. Merkulov recorded a secondary assist in the game, but the general consensus from those watching was that these two players would need to do more to earn a roster spot out of training camp. This is especially true if they are aiming for a top-six spot on the team, rather than pushing for a lower-impact bottom-six role to start their careers.
Despite Lysell having several turnovers and failing to put the puck on goal, his speed was on full display at various points in the game. This included a backcheck that saw him prevent an empty-net goal late in the third period. He scored 15 goals and 50 points in 56 games with Providence last season, and as a natural right-shot winger, he seems tailor-made for an NHL top-six role one day, provided he can consistently play up to his potential. The same can be said about Merkulov, who scored 30 goals and 65 points in 67 games last season in the AHL, as well as 24 goals and 55 points in 67 games the season prior. As the more natural goal-scorer of the two, Merkulov could be a hidden gem for the Bruins under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, it’s challenging for NHL teams to commit full-time to developing players on the main roster when they also have aspirations of competing for the Stanley Cup. The team toed that line last season with Matt Poitras, who saw an unexpected jump to the NHL roster last season out of training camp.
Bruins Roster Competition Is Fierce
The Bruins have a plethora of players capable of filling bottom-six roles next season. While many expect the third line to feature Trent Frederic, Morgan Geekie and Poitras, one of these three may need to start the season on the team’s second line. This would then open the door for someone like Justin Brazeau to move up to the third line. The fourth line may feature the most competition this season, with the likes of John Beecher, Max Jones, Mark Kastelic, Riley Duran, Trevor Kuntar and even Brett Harrison competing for jobs out of training camp. Beecher is likely a lock, and Jones and Kastelic, signed as a free agent and acquired in the Linus Ullmark trade, respectively, also seem to be penciled into spots. At the same time, it’s hard to completely rule out the 22-year-old Duran, whom general manager Don Sweeney mentioned by name on July 1 as a possible promotion this fall.
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With so many moving parts and so many different players factoring into the Bruins’ plans, there are no guarantees that Lysell or Merkulov will make the roster to start the season. At the same time, a slow start to training camp and the preseason shouldn’t immediately rule them out of contention. There’s a lot of time between now and the start of the season for both players to show more than they did on Sunday, so writing them off this early would be premature.
Every player in the history of professional sports has had a bad game. While it’s less than ideal for both of these players that their poor performance came when they were fully under the microscope, it should be considered part of the equation and not the entire story. At the end of the day, even if one or both of these young prospects fail to make the Bruins’ roster right out of camp, it’s clear that they are on the cusp and will almost certainly see playing time at some point this season—ideally, in permanent roles.