Georgii Merkulov has points in six consecutive games, and the Providence Bruins have won 10 straight to take a three-point lead in the Atlantic Division. The Russian forward is on pace for another 60-point season this year for Providence, a mark he hit in the 2023-24 season and might've hit again last season if he hadn't spent some time in Boston.
Merkulov has been a consistent presence for Providence since turning pro at the end of the 2021-22 season. He is averaging 0.88 points per game over his 243 career games, and recently broke the all-time Providence scoring record with an assist against the Charlotte Checkers on February 1.
🎥 Georgii Merkulov joins @jordanconn91 to discuss recording his franchise record 211th career point pic.twitter.com/IiSmpcKOO9
— Providence Bruins (@AHLBruins) February 3, 2026
Despite all the success in Providence, Merkulov appeared in just 11 games so far at the NHL level. In those 11 games, he has just one assist, showing that the ceiling for the forward might be the AHL. There's a great chance that Merkulov could go down as an all-time Providence forward if he wanted to stick around in the organization, but he becomes a Group 6 UFA at the end of this season.
The Group 6 rule protects players from getting stuck in the minors until they become a UFA. If a player is over 25, played 3+ pro seasons, and has played fewer than 80 NHL games, he has the chance to head into free agency and find a fresh start. Merkulov feels like a great candidate to get a shot elsewhere, as his path to Boston looks murky.
The forward already has a lower points per game average this season because of more limited opportunities. The top three lines in Providence are loaded with talent, and players are passing Merkulov on the depth chart. Couple that with some NCAA players likely turning pro at the end of this season, and Merkulov's future could become clear.
While his future has questions, the present is that Merkulov is going to be a massive piece of Providence's run to the Calder Cup. With 10 consecutive wins and the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the loaded Baby Bruins are in a great spot to challenge for the championship this season.