The Colorado Avalanche signed forward Georgii Merkulov on Monday to a one-year contract.
Merkulov, 25, has played in 11 NHL games, including one last season, for the Boston Bruins. The 5-foot-11, 174-pound forward had 24 goals and 61 points for the Providence Bruins in the AHL, and should be a key player for a rebuilt Colorado Eagles squad next year.
The Eagles reached the Western Conference Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since joining the AHL in 2018, but six of the club’s top eight scorers from last season and coach Mark Letestu are no longer with the organization.
Merkulov spent one year at Ohio State before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Bruins in 2022. The Avs have also signed veteran forwards Vinnie Hinostroza and Adam Beckman and traded for former first-round pick Fabian Lysell, who along with Merkulov could help replace forwards like Alex Barre-Boulet, T.J. Tynan and Ivan Ivan as impact players for the Eagles with the potential to earn NHL callups.
