According to a report from NHL insider Frank Seravalli, former 21st overall pick Ryan Merkley has requested a trade from the San Jose Sharks.
The 22 year old defenseman has played just 39 career NHL games for the Sharks and has spent the majority of his pro career with the team’s AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda. Seravalli reports that Merkley has formally requested a trade and that Sharks GM Mike Grier is working to accommodate him.
From Seravalli:
For the record, this would be the third trade of Merkley’s young career, his first in the pro ranks.
It’s not exactly a secret that the talented Merkley dropped in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft due to what many scouts described as “character issues”. He has a reputation for being a bit of a hot head and wore out his welcome with two different OHL clubs before turning pro. Suffice it to say that this isn’t the first time Merkley has begged out of a situation, but it’ll be interesting to see what transpires this time around.
There’s no denying the kid’s skill. He has 14 points in 30 games with the Barracuda this season and was a star with the London Knights, Peterborough Petes and Guelph Storm in the OHL. He’s a supremely talented skater with excellent playmaking and passing skills, but sometimes lacks defensive awareness in transition. He’s certainly not a well rounded player at this point in his development and given his scouting report, I wonder if he’ll ever discover his defensive game. At this point, a guy with Merkley’s attitude has likely shown us what he’s going to be. Sure, he can continue to improve and refine his game, but I think when it’s all said and done he’s going to be an offense-first defender who struggles if he’s not put in the right type of situation.
Now, having said all that, I do think that Merkley will generate interest on the trade market. Put simply, he’s a right-handed defenseman who can put up points, especially on the powerplay. That’s a coveted role in the NHL and I suspect that someone will take him on as a bit of a rehabilitation project. Stay tuned.
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