Bruins call up exciting young forward Georgii Merkulov

BOSTON -- Georgii Merkulov has been lighting it up in Providence this season. Now the 23-year-old will get a chance to do his thing at the NHL level for the Boston Bruins.

Boston called up the promising young forward from the AHL on Friday to potentially help the team's scoring issues. The B's are tied for 22nd in the NHL with 102 goals this season, and 25th in 5-on-5 goals with just 64.

Merkulov has the skill set to help fix those scoring woes and give Boston a spark on offense. He leads the Providence Bruins with 14 goals and 16 assists, and his 30 points in 31 games is the fourth-most in the AHL. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team last year after tallying 24 goals and 31 assists in 2023.

A native of  Ryazan, Russia, Merkulov was originally signed by Boston as a free agent in 2022. Now he's getting his shot at the NHL level, and should bring a new level of excitement to the Bruins' offense. 

He was centering Boston's third line at Friday's practice, but could slot in as a top-six forward with some NHL experience. Merkulov will likely make his debut Saturday night when Boston hosts the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden.