The Boston Bruins' front office is staying busy during the team's playoff push.
The Bruins have signed Ohio State forward Georgii Merkulov to a three-year entry-level contract beginning next season, general manager Don Sweeney announced Saturday. Merkulov's deal will have an annual cap hit of $925,000.
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A native of Ryazan, Russia, Merkulov tallied 34 points in 36 games for the Buckeyes this past-season with a team-leading 20 goals and 14 assists. The 21-year-old winger is a skilled offensive player with a strong left-handed shot.
Merkulov spent his previous two seasons with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms, where he recorded a total of 73 points (20 goals; 53 assists) over 74 games.
The 5-foot-10, 163-pound forward will report to Providence on an Amateur Tryout Agreement for the rest of this season. He joins Boston College alum and Billerica, Mass., native Marc McLaughlin as the second college player Boston has added in the span of a month, although Merkulov won't be able to contribute at the NHL level until next season.
