On Wednesday afternoon, one day before the Boston Bruins take on the New York Rangers in another preseason showdown, the Bruins announced their latest round of roster cuts as opening night gets closer.
Four players are the victims of the latest round of cuts. Forward Jayson Megna has been placed on waivers for purpose of assignment to Providence, while forwards Trevor Kuntar, Marc McLaughlin, and Georgii Merkulov have been assigned to Providence.
Placing Megna on waivers is by no means a surprise move. He was signed to a two-way contract in July and was a fringe roster player at best. He skated in three preseason games and didn’t register a shot on goal, being a rather unspectacular player.
Kuntar, a Boston College product, was signed to an entry level contract in March, so he’s also a cut that shouldn’t surprise anyone. He has no games at either the AHL or NHL level, so giving him the season to marinate in Providence is unsurprising and good for his development.
Merkulov is an interesting cut. Coming off a strong season in Providence, there was a case to be made for him to crack the opening night lineup. Alas, he’ll get some more time in the AHL to round out his game in the hopes of potentially earning a callup during the season if the cards fall the right way. He had a pair of assists in two games this preseason.
McLaughlin, the fourth cut of the bunch, is another cut that raises eyebrows. A player who is NHL-ready, McLaughlin has failed to make the cut out of training camp for the second year in a row. He spent the majority of last season in Providence, but figures to be one of the first names called by Don Sweeney when the Bruins need another body in the NHL.
The situation for McLaughlin this year could shake out similarly to Jakub Lauko last year. Spending a fair share of time in the AHL, but always on standby and on the first trip up I-95 when the Bruins need him. He’ll be a name to keep an eye on in Providence this season.
The Bruins get back in action on Thursday night against the Rangers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 Eastern Time on TNT.