The Colorado Avalanche have recruited another player out of the Boston Bruins organization. This time it is free agent winger Georgii Merkulov, who has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche. Merkulov signed with Boston as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He spent the last three seasons playing through his entry-level contract, and then a one-year, two-way deal, in the Providence Bruins lineup. Merkulov earned a handful of NHL call-ups in that mix, amounting to 11 appearances and one point in the Boston lineup.

While he hasn’t yet found his stride at the NHL level, Merkulov was a near-instant impact in the minor-leagues. He turned pro after scoring 34 points in 36 games in his only college season – and maintained his star scoring through a move to Providence. Merkulov has led the AHL’s Bruins in scoring in every season since signing into the organization. He scored 24 goals and 55 points in 67 games of his AHL rookie season; then grew to 30 goals and 65 points in 67 games of his second year; and 54 points in 59 games to close out his entry-level deal. Boston returned Merkulov to Providence on a league-minimum contract for the 2025-26 season. He, again, led Providence in scoring with 61 points in 70 games.

Colorado could offer the perfect setting for the burgeoning AHL scorer. The Avalanche have leaned on a rotation of bottom-six forwards over the last three seasons. That rotation has yielded strong results, with depth forwards Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Chris Wagner, and now-Bruin Ivan Ivan each finding footing in the mix of NHL and AHL minutes. Merkulov’s presence will help the Avalanche offset the departures of Ivan, T.J. Tynan, and Alex Barre-Boulet. He will share that standing with fellow newcomers Vinnie Hinostroza and Adam Beckman. Also in the mix for a bottom-six role in the Avalanche lineup is former Bruins first-round pick Fabian Lysell, who Colorado swapped for Ivan earlier in the summer. Merkulov may fill the junior role behind veteran, and first-round, company – but a deal in Colorado should once again yield a high-scoring AHL season.