It’s probable that if you’re a Boston Bruins fan, you’ve heard a lot about Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell this summer. It makes sense, considering that they are the Bruins’ two finest forward prospects and stand the best chance of playing major roles in the NHL this season. Because of this, during the Bruins’ opening preseason game on Sunday, all eyes were on these two rookie forwards. Unfortunately, neither player was able to establish a rhythm during the match, leaving the squad, the media, and the fans with a lot of unmet expectations.
Despite having good offensive skill sets, Lysell and Merkulov did not contribute much to the Bruins’ 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. They were actually the only two Bruins players who did not have a shot on goal at the end of the game. Despite Merkulov’s game-winning secondary assist, the prevailing opinion among spectators was that these two players would need to do better to secure a spot on the roster after training camp. This is particularly true if they want to start their careers in a top-six capacity on the squad instead of a bottom-six role with less influence.
Lysell’s speed was evident at several occasions during the game, despite his multiple giveaways and inability to put the puck on goal. Late in the third quarter, he prevented an empty-net goal with a backcheck. As a natural right-shot winger, he scored 15 goals and 50 points in 56 games with Providence the previous season. If he can continue to play at his high level, he is destined for an NHL top-six role. Merkulov, who scored 24 goals and 55 points in 67 games the season before and 30 goals and 65 points in 67 games the previous season in the AHL, is comparable. Given the correct conditions, Merkulov—who scores goals more naturally than the other player—might prove to be a hidden asset for the Bruins. Regretfully, NHL organizations find it difficult to devote all of their attention to developing players for the starting lineup when they also want to contend for the Stanley Cup. With Matt Poitras, who made an unanticipated jump to the NHL roster right out of training camp last season, the team walked that line.
Tough Competition for Bruins Roster Slots
There are plenty of Bruins players who could finish in the bottom six next year. Although Trent Frederic, Morgan Geekie, and Poitras are frequently expected to start on the team’s third line, one of these three might have to open the season on the second line. Then, someone like Justin Brazeau could advance to the third line as a result. With players like John Beecher, Max Jones, Mark Kastelic, Riley Duran, Trevor Kuntar, and even Brett Harrison vying for spots out of training camp, the fourth line might have the greatest competition this season. In addition to Jones, who signed as a free agent, and Kastelic, who was acquired in the Linus Ullmark deal, Beecher is probably a lock. However, it’s difficult to fully rule out the 22-year-old Duran, who general manager Don Sweeney specifically named on July 1 as a potential promotion this autumn.
There’s no assurance that Lysell or Merkulov will be on the roster when the season begins because there are so many variables and players that affect the Bruins’ plans. However, a sluggish start to training camp and the preseason shouldn’t automatically eliminate them from the running. Both players have plenty of time until the season begins to perform better than they did on Sunday, so writing them out this soon would be hasty.
Every professional athlete in history has experienced a poor performance. Although it is unfortunate for both of these players that their subpar performance occurred while they were under intense scrutiny, this is only one aspect of the situation and not the whole tale. In the end, it’s evident that these two young talents are on the verge of breaking into the Bruins’ roster—ideally in permanent roles—and that they will almost definitely see playing time this season, even if neither of them makes the team out of training.
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