The Edmonton Oilers have added young talent at points over the last few years. Edmonton is expected to give Matt Savoie a shot at the NHL roster a year after acquiring him from the Buffalo Sabres. This summer, they also traded for Isaac Howard in a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Edmonton is still an experienced team. However, they are adding some youthful elements to the team. More than this, they are adding young players who have potential. Many around the game of hockey believe both Savoie and Howard have the potential to become top-six contributors.
Of course, Edmonton is trying to win the Stanley Cup. The Oilers have made the Final in each of the last two seasons. And in both Finals, they were defeated by the Florida Panthers. In 2025, Florida largely dominated the series, especially following Game 2.
Edmonton cannot rely on young players if they want to go far. But at the same time, they have to find players who can keep the train rolling once some of the veterans start hanging up their skates. With this in mind, Heavy.com is proposing the following trade between the Oilers and Boston Bruins.
Edmonton Oilers acquire: Georgii Merkulov
Boston Bruins acquire: 2027 fifth-round draft pick
Bruins May Have Blocked Georgii Merkulov
Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesThe Boston Bruins have seemingly blocked Georgii Merkulov’s path to the NHL.
The Bruins took a chance on Merkulov, who went undrafted. So far, it’s paid off wonderfully. He has emerged as a legitimate prospect with middle-six NHL potential at least. However, it does not appear as if Boston is too keen to give him a chance.
Merkulov, according to scouts around the league, is ready for the next level. But the 24-year-old has appeared in just 10 NHL games to this point. Moreover, a look at the Boston roster reveals a tough path to ice time, at least for 2025-26.
The Bruins do lack center depth at the NHL level. However, their current depth chart consists of players who provide a more immediate impact than Merkulov. Pavel Zacha, Elias Lindholm, Sean Kuraly, and John Beecher are expected to make up the four lines. Merkulov could push Beecher for the fourth-line center role, but he faces competition from Marat Khusnutdinov.
The Oilers are making a low-risk, high-reward bet in this trade proposal. Edmonton is hoping Merkulov’s potential can be unlocked in their environment. With Merkulov being a free agent in 2026, they hope Boston will accept the draft pick as opposed to letting him walk for nothing next summer.
Where Merkulov Fits in With Oilers
Merkulov may not have the most immediate path to NHL ice time in Edmonton, to be fair. However, he would become one of their best depth options almost upon arrival. And there is a chance he pushes a veteran such as Adam Henrique or Mattias Janmark down the lineup.
Merkulov could follow the path of Savoie, in a way. Many expected Edmonton to deploy the former ninth-overall pick as their third-line center following the Sabres trade. However, they let him develop a year in the minors, and now are likely bringing him to the NHL.
This trade proposal is more about opportunity. Merkulov needs an opportunity to contribute. A team like the Oilers is going to have a hard time finding promising young players, given their low draft position every year. As a result, they need to get creative to add potential future contributors. And a trade for Merkulov could bring them a steady middle-six contributor for years to come.
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