Yeah but how many times do we hear these kind of things about players in junior and then be completely different in the NHL. The guy is a top 3 talent and we probably have a chance at getting him in the 20's. Is that really a loss for us?
The guy could have no attitude issues and wouldn't even be a top 5 defenseman in this draft. Dahlin is clear number 1 and even then Dobson, Smith, Bouchard, Boqvist, Wilde and Hughes are all ahead of Merkley. All of them have the tools to be #1 defensemen in the NHL and none of them are nearly as raw as Merkley in the defensive end right now.
His offensive skills wouldn't even get him into the top 3 in this draft. Not even for defensemen. 100% I'm taking Dahlin and Smith over him, and if I had a chance to compare them side by side, I may extend that to Bouchard as well. Those are just out of the guys I've seen. Hughes and Boqvist could easily be over him as well, and Dobson and Wilde are two-way guys with a different offensive styles than Merkley so it may be hard to directly compare them, but both are very capable offensively.
Merkley should not be expected to go in the first round anymore. Not unless he impresses at every remaining stop and earns his way back up there. At this point I think it's more likely he's available at 52 than him getting taken somewhere in the first, or possibly even early 2nd, round. TBH, with the number of busts with guys very similar to him (Ryan Murphy, Tony DeAngelo, even possibly Julius Honka), I don't think I would take him in the first round even without attitude issues... The guy may have great offensive skills, but the guys who typically make it are the ones who are at least somewhat competent defensively at that age and showed a willingness to get much better (Rielly, Ellis, Gardiner, etc.)