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Prospect Info: 2018 Draft: Round 1, Pick #21 - Ryan Merkley, D (Guelph Storm/OHL)

rangerssharks414

rangerssharks414

Registered User
Mar 9, 2010
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RYAN MERKLEY (D) [Guelph Storm (OHL)]

Bio
Born: Aug 14, 2000 (17 as of June 24, 2018)
From: Mississauga, Ont, Canada (or possibly Oakville, Ont according to Wikipedia)
Height: 5'11
Weight: 170
Shoots: Right


Notes
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"The Sharks always draft so safe. They always wuss out and take a safe player with a lower ceiling."

wilson-doug.jpg


"Hey Pete. The fans think we're too risk-averse at the draft. Should I go ahead and do it?"


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"Just a sec, lemme ask. Son, should we do it?"

cut.jpeg


"I say 'do it', coach."
https://hfboards.mandatory.com/forums/san-jose-sharks.43/
deboer-625.jpg


"Right. Hey, Doug: Do it.'"


images


"Alright, I'm gonna do it. Hold my imported sparkling wine cooler, Tom."


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"It's Tim."



cut.jpg


"Whatever. Alright, the Sharks pick the RISKIEST MOTHER****ER IN THE DRAFT! BLAM!!!!!"

full
  • First Sharks first rounder from the OHL since Nikolay Goldobin in 2014. First non-import OHL first rounder since Couture in 2007. First ever OHL d-man picked in the first round by the Sharks.
  • Was the 1st overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Draft by Guelph
  • Scored 55 points in 62 games in his rookie OHL season and was Guelph's leading scorer as well as the OHL's leading rookie scorer
  • 2016-17 OHL rookie of the year
  • Led Guelph in scoring in 2017-18 and was the 3rd highest scoring defenceman.
  • Father Kyle played 6 games for the University of Illinois-Chicago and 12 games for North Bay of the OHL in 1990-91
  • Sister Lauren played 4 seasons in the PWHL and one season at Bemidji State University between 2008 and 2013
  • Is not the CEO of Creative Commons (who, it turns out, was also born in Ontario)


Stats & Info Links
Ryan Merkley at eliteprospects.com
Ryan Merkley hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com
NHL draft: Sharks take Ryan Merkley with first round pick
Why Ryan Merkley was the most interesting first-round NHL Draft pick - Sportsnet.ca

Draft Rankings
PublicationCSB HockeyProspect Black BookFuture ConsiderationsMcKeen'sISS TSN Bob McKenzie TSN Craig Button Athletic Corey Pronman Draft Analyst Hockey Prospector HF Tryamkin HF Magua
Ranking 45 (NAS)70253147 32 24 10 47 35 15 N/R
[THEAD] [/THEAD]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Scouting Reports
HockeyProspect Black Book (Ranked 70th)

Ryan Merkley is a dynamic offensive defenseman who generated the most primary assists out of any defender in the OHL. He was the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL draft and had a productive rookie season. This season he posted 67 points in 63 games, including 54 assists. In the playoffs, he produced 6 points in 6 games. Internationally, he produced 6 assists in 5 games at the Hlinka and had 3 assists in 5 games at the U18’s in April.
Merkley a very polarizing player in this draft. On the one hand, he has fanttastic offensive-attributes that allow him to generate scoring chances both for himself and his team. On the other hand, his play away from the puck is a major cause for concern. He’s got a fourth-forward mentality and uses the neutral zone as his launching pad to join the rush which he’s exceptional at doing. His dynamic four-way skating ability allows him to separate quickly, where he loves to rush down the ice while surveying his options. Another dynamic quality that Ryan possess is his vision, he sees his teammates open before opposing teams do and can thread precise passes through heavy traffic. Additionally, he uses a variety of body and shooting fakes at the line to re-open his lanes and has one of the best slap-passes in this class. This made him especially dangerous on the powerplay, where he could take advantage of his full offensive-arsenal. He’s poised under pressure, knowing that his crossovers and pivots are up to the task and he can spin to peel off pressure, while also showing a quick set of hands that allow him to avoid active sticks. Although more of a passer than a shooter, his shot has a surprising amount of power and his slapshot is accurate. He would time the release of his shot through screens at a high-rate. In the offensive-end, he’s more than capable of drawing half a team to one-side in an effort to defend him, leaving him with several passing options at his disposal; time-after-time we have seen him magnetize an opposing team to him before executing a high-end pass, giving one of his teammates an open-net to shoot at. The last impressive element of his offensive-game is that his transitional zone-entries are advanced, it’s rare for him not to gain the line when he attempts to enter a zone. There’s very few forwards let alone defenders in this class that can weave through traffic and breakdown opposing team’s defenses like he can.

He’s a very talented player who unfortunately possesses a glaring flaw that could become the deciding factor in his career depending on if he chooses to fix it. Merkley’s compete level away from the puck is very poor. It’s one thing to misread a play, have an improper gap, fail to knock an opponent off the puck or have an opponent drive-around you, which are all defensive-lapses that Merkley has shown. It’s another thing to totally give up on plays at the rate he does. We have seen him turn the puck over and not attempt to recover, stand stationary while letting slower players than himself easily cut around him while driving towards the front of the net. He rarely will engage along the boards despite if it’s a player his size or even smaller. In one of our viewings in the final 40 seconds of a tied game, he tried to get off the ice after a failed rush which caused a partial breakaway due to not recognizing that no one else to coverd for him. In the same game, he was stripped off the puck behind the net area, and instead of attempting to recover or re-position himself, he swung his head back looking skyward while standing stationary. What makes his play away from the puck that much more puzzling is that he’s capable of making high-quality defensive plays. We have seen him aggressively backcheck and dive at pucks which resulted in disrupted rush attempts. Unfortunately, for every good defensive play he executes, he makes several mediocre or bad plays, most of which could have been avoided if he played with an intensity and effort which he seems to reserve only for the offensive-zone.

There’s several mental aspects to Merkley’s game that need to be improved in order for his defensive-game to develop to the level necessary to play in the NHL.
Click to expand...

Future Considerations (Rank: 25)

A top-flight rearguard and a dynamic skater, he has quick and agile feet and is often eager to rush the puck. His speed can make defenders look like beer-leaguers and it allows him to create offense out of nothing. When trapped in a corner, say, he can burst loose with fancy footwork and quick hands. To distribute the puck, though, he can toss beautiful breakout and stretch passes, a ploy that works well given how much checking attention he receives. Eyes are always on him, which makes it easier for him to find wide-open mates, especially in the neutral zone. When he plays a more team focused brand of hockey, his smarts and offensive skills are even more evident. It also helps cut down on his high risk sequences when he gets caught trying to do too much. He has a bad habit of trying to be cute – too cute – and it can be costly. More than once, Guelph has been burned by his unforced turnovers. In all three zones, he can be careless. However, slowly but steadily, he’s building some trust into his game. His bread and butter – elite skating – helps him in the defensive zone, too, to get into position quickly, to challenge the attackers. There is lots of upside here, especially if Merkley’s game continues to mature, particularly the decision-making aspects. He does, however, possess bust potential.
Click to expand...


The Draft Analyst (Rank: 47)
Roving playmaker from the blueline with excellent speed and a superior understanding of his responsibilities as a jump-starter and attacker. Merkley is pure offense in every sense of the term, and it seems as everything he does with the puck has a cherry on top. He is a commanding presence who carries the puck as well as he dishes it out, and you can always count on him to find the open man, especially backdoor and off the rush. Merkley has a quick first step, but he also shifts speeds to routinely catch opponents flat footed. It’s hard to see Guelph’s attack survive without him, as it relies heavily on his quick, crisp breakout passes that trap the most aggressive of forecheckers. He owns a hard, accurate shot with a big windup; Merkley gets enough mustard on long-distance wristers to force goalies to lose control of rebounds. Merkely plays with intensity but is not to be confused with a physical, shut-down defender. Keeping him stapled to his own slot during opposing possessions above the hash marks seems next to impossible, and he will roam well above the circles to chase the puck. He has difficulty handling bigger forwards in the slot or in the corners, which might explain the floating, and there are times in his own end when he gets too cute with the puck. These issues can be fixed over time, but it remains to be seen how much NHL general managers are willing to overlook the defensive shortcomings of such a rare and gifted puck distributor.
Click to expand...

The Hockey Prospector (Rank: 35)
There is no doubt about it, Ryan Merkley is an enigma. He’s a bit of a river-boat gambler that often attempts low-percentage plays that often happen to work out in his favor. There are going to be some nights when you’re going to love this guy and other nights when you’ll curse him. He’s got a ton of talent though with elite vision and puck control. He’s also a dangerous player on the power play. If coaches can eventually to get him to tone it down and better pick his spots, he could be a steal.
Click to expand...

HF User Tryamkin (Rank: 15)
But Merkley has those attitude issues! Merkley doesn't know what defense is! I don't wanna hear it! At the draft combine, Merkley interviewed very well and seemed thankful for teams giving him a shot. He talked about being accountable on learning and improving his defense, and frankly, I buy it. he knows what he has to do to become an elite hockey player and he has the talent to do so. Who cares if he had a run in with a coach as a kid, he was too young to know the weight of his decisions and that is in the past. He is one of the most talented players in the draft offensively, however most know about his defensive deficiencies. He's done some incredible things and put up some incredible point totals with his amazing offensive capabilities, however he has the defensive issues that are tooted aroudn when talkign about Merkley. There's always one of these players every few years. He reminds me of Oliver Kylington from 2015, but more offensively talented. He needs to put the pieces together in order to become a dynamic, top pairing defenseman. Merkley can QB a powerplay like no other using his elite skating, fantastic offensive instincts, and passing ability. He has some great vision and is fantastic in transition. As far as his defense goes, he often makes silly decisions, getting caught way up the ice and creating odd man rushes for the other teams. He needs to put on some muscle to help his physicality which is not very good. Merkley could be a fair few years away from the NHL, I'll guess 3.
Potential: Elite Top Pair Defenseman
Possibility: Unlikely / Low
Click to expand...

HF User Magua (Rank: NR)
I’m not even sure where to begin with Merkley. There’s a reason he was taken #1 in the OHL draft; there’s a reason he’s been one of the highest scoring CHL defensemen in his age class for 2 consecutive years (on a bad Guelph team and as an August birthday yet). He has incredibly soft hands, excellent 4-way mobility, and can thread many a highlight reel pass. And yet he doesn’t look anything like an NHL defenseman to me. I wouldn’t even bother taking a chance on him, no matter how good the value is if he falls. In my 2 years of watching him, I’ve seen close to no development or maturation.
To even his ardent fans, Merkley is something of a defensive disaster. He’s lazy with his stick and feet and body, constantly misreads coverages, has close to no physical presence, and would drive any coach batty. And this is all at the junior level. If you are so dead-set on banking on the offensive ability of Merkley, to maneuver around and work with his flaws, I’d answer 27 back that he’s not actually as intelligent offensively as his skill level, at least in a projectable sense. He overhandles pucks constantly, never having met a quick pass he likes. He needs to be the one to make THE play, and it leads to being painted into corners and many egregious turnovers or being rag dolled off pucks. While he’s very talented and patient, there’s never a shred of urgency to anything he does. He wants to play his game at his pace all the time, whether it works or not. Even his highlight reel passes — like his patented fake slap shot at the top of the right face-off dot, skate around the forward, fling it through the slot — are plays he’ll make whether it’s open or not. He doesn’t particularly care. He’ll also almost never shoot a puck, possessing something of a weak shot, and when he does shoot it’s usually at an odd time, like he got bored of playmaking. Boiled down to his essence, Merkley can be a player with horrendous effort level at times and a player who exhibits consistently low hockey sense — even offensively, though the numbers may fool you. I am fascinated to see who takes him though as a scouting and risk/reward litmus test.
Click to expand...

The Athletic's Corey Pronman (Rank: 10)
Skating: 60
Puck Skills: 60
Physical Game: 35
Hockey sense: 65
Merkley, a former No. 1 overall pick in his OHL draft class, is one of the most skilled players in the draft class and is one of the best passers I’ve ever seen at his age. He has the vision to attempt and execute plays most players don’t think about and has the composure to move the puck at an elite level. When he’s on his game, he makes everyone around him look better. He also shows a high level of skill. While he won’t attempt end to end rushes like Ryan Murphy used to all the time in the OHL, Merkley can make a highlight reel skill play to open up space for his vision. He skates very well, but he’s more of an elusive skater with great edge work than a guy who blazes through the neutral zone, though he does possess above-average speed. He uses his footwork and edges to create space and looks for options. Now for his warts. Merkley is small, can be a headache defensively with some of his decisions, coverage and physicality — although I’ve seen him lay out a huge hit here and there. He has severe up and downs, where he looks dominant one game and can be a major negative another, as well as he can let his emotions get the best of him.
Guelph coach and GM George Burnett said: “Ryan’s an elite skill player. Nobody questions what he creates offensively. There’s progress in his defensive play and his discipline. He’s got a bright future if he wants one.”
Click to expand...

The Hockey News Draft Preview (Rank: 32)
"By far, Merkely is the biggest X-Factor in the entire draft class. On the plus side, he's an offensive wizard on the blueline with excellent mobility, tailor made to today's game.
On the other side of the ledger, he's a black hole on defence, and his attitude is being questioned.
"Anyone you talk to about him, there's going to be a 'but...' " said one scout. "His ability to skate and make plays - not many players are like him. But everyone is asking if he's the next Anthony DeAngelo, with the bad attitude and lack of emotional control. Defensively he has to get better - at times it's like he's bored."
So in sum, you have a top five talent with baggage. It is also worht considering, however, that Merkley is in a great situation playing for veteran junior coach George Burnett in Guelph. "We know he's high risk, and those guys come with a qualifier," said another scout. "When he's good, he can be very good. When he's bad, he can be equally bad. George Burnett had P.K. Subban in Belleville and P.K. used to drive him over the edge some nights. But they found a way to make it work."

Best Case: Anthony DeAngelo
Click to expand...



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**IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER RELEVANT CONTENT, POST IT AND TAG ME BY TYPING "@The Nemesis" IN THE POST SO I'LL SEE IT.**
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NorthernShark

NorthernShark

Registered User
Apr 26, 2018
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I called it. We don't riot anymore. Vlasic and Burns will teach him the way. Future stud I hope.
 
The Nemesis

The Nemesis

Semper Tyrannus
Apr 11, 2005
88,326
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All the scouting report info I have:

HockeyProspect Black Book (Ranked 70th)

Ryan Merkley is a dynamic offensive defenseman who generated the most primary assists out of any defender in the OHL. He was the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL draft and had a productive rookie season. This season he posted 67 points in 63 games, including 54 assists. In the playoffs, he produced 6 points in 6 games. Internationally, he produced 6 assists in 5 games at the Hlinka and had 3 assists in 5 games at the U18’s in April.
Merkley a very polarizing player in this draft. On the one hand, he has fanttastic offensive-attributes that allow him to generate scoring chances both for himself and his team. On the other hand, his play away from the puck is a major cause for concern. He’s got a fourth-forward mentality and uses the neutral zone as his launching pad to join the rush which he’s exceptional at doing. His dynamic four-way skating ability allows him to separate quickly, where he loves to rush down the ice while surveying his options. Another dynamic quality that Ryan possess is his vision, he sees his teammates open before opposing teams do and can thread precise passes through heavy traffic. Additionally, he uses a variety of body and shooting fakes at the line to re-open his lanes and has one of the best slap-passes in this class. This made him especially dangerous on the powerplay, where he could take advantage of his full offensive-arsenal. He’s poised under pressure, knowing that his crossovers and pivots are up to the task and he can spin to peel off pressure, while also showing a quick set of hands that allow him to avoid active sticks. Although more of a passer than a shooter, his shot has a surprising amount of power and his slapshot is accurate. He would time the release of his shot through screens at a high-rate. In the offensive-end, he’s more than capable of drawing half a team to one-side in an effort to defend him, leaving him with several passing options at his disposal; time-after-time we have seen him magnetize an opposing team to him before executing a high-end pass, giving one of his teammates an open-net to shoot at. The last impressive element of his offensive-game is that his transitional zone-entries are advanced, it’s rare for him not to gain the line when he attempts to enter a zone. There’s very few forwards let alone defenders in this class that can weave through traffic and breakdown opposing team’s defenses like he can.

He’s a very talented player who unfortunately possesses a glaring flaw that could become the deciding factor in his career depending on if he chooses to fix it. Merkley’s compete level away from the puck is very poor. It’s one thing to misread a play, have an improper gap, fail to knock an opponent off the puck or have an opponent drive-around you, which are all defensive-lapses that Merkley has shown. It’s another thing to totally give up on plays at the rate he does. We have seen him turn the puck over and not attempt to recover, stand stationary while letting slower players than himself easily cut around him while driving towards the front of the net. He rarely will engage along the boards despite if it’s a player his size or even smaller. In one of our viewings in the final 40 seconds of a tied game, he tried to get off the ice after a failed rush which caused a partial breakaway due to not recognizing that no one else to coverd for him. In the same game, he was stripped off the puck behind the net area, and instead of attempting to recover or re-position himself, he swung his head back looking skyward while standing stationary. What makes his play away from the puck that much more puzzling is that he’s capable of making high-quality defensive plays. We have seen him aggressively backcheck and dive at pucks which resulted in disrupted rush attempts. Unfortunately, for every good defensive play he executes, he makes several mediocre or bad plays, most of which could have been avoided if he played with an intensity and effort which he seems to reserve only for the offensive-zone.

There’s several mental aspects to Merkley’s game that need to be improved in order for his defensive-game to develop to the level necessary to play in the NHL.
Click to expand...

Future Considerations (Rank: 25)

A top-flight rearguard and a dynamic skater, he has quick and agile feet and is often eager to rush the puck. His speed can make defenders look like beer-leaguers and it allows him to create offense out of nothing. When trapped in a corner, say, he can burst loose with fancy footwork and quick hands. To distribute the puck, though, he can toss beautiful breakout and stretch passes, a ploy that works well given how much checking attention he receives. Eyes are always on him, which makes it easier for him to find wide-open mates, especially in the neutral zone. When he plays a more team focused brand of hockey, his smarts and offensive skills are even more evident. It also helps cut down on his high risk sequences when he gets caught trying to do too much. He has a bad habit of trying to be cute – too cute – and it can be costly. More than once, Guelph has been burned by his unforced turnovers. In all three zones, he can be careless. However, slowly but steadily, he’s building some trust into his game. His bread and butter – elite skating – helps him in the defensive zone, too, to get into position quickly, to challenge the attackers. There is lots of upside here, especially if Merkley’s game continues to mature, particularly the decision-making aspects. He does, however, possess bust potential.
Click to expand...


The Draft Analyst (Rank: 47)
Roving playmaker from the blueline with excellent speed and a superior understanding of his responsibilities as a jump-starter and attacker. Merkley is pure offense in every sense of the term, and it seems as everything he does with the puck has a cherry on top. He is a commanding presence who carries the puck as well as he dishes it out, and you can always count on him to find the open man, especially backdoor and off the rush. Merkley has a quick first step, but he also shifts speeds to routinely catch opponents flat footed. It’s hard to see Guelph’s attack survive without him, as it relies heavily on his quick, crisp breakout passes that trap the most aggressive of forecheckers. He owns a hard, accurate shot with a big windup; Merkley gets enough mustard on long-distance wristers to force goalies to lose control of rebounds. Merkely plays with intensity but is not to be confused with a physical, shut-down defender. Keeping him stapled to his own slot during opposing possessions above the hash marks seems next to impossible, and he will roam well above the circles to chase the puck. He has difficulty handling bigger forwards in the slot or in the corners, which might explain the floating, and there are times in his own end when he gets too cute with the puck. These issues can be fixed over time, but it remains to be seen how much NHL general managers are willing to overlook the defensive shortcomings of such a rare and gifted puck distributor.
Click to expand...

The Hockey Prospector (Rank: 35)
There is no doubt about it, Ryan Merkley is an enigma. He’s a bit of a river-boat gambler that often attempts low-percentage plays that often happen to work out in his favor. There are going to be some nights when you’re going to love this guy and other nights when you’ll curse him. He’s got a ton of talent though with elite vision and puck control. He’s also a dangerous player on the power play. If coaches can eventually to get him to tone it down and better pick his spots, he could be a steal.
Click to expand...

HF User Tryamkin (Rank: 15)
But Merkley has those attitude issues! Merkley doesn't know what defense is! I don't wanna hear it! At the draft combine, Merkley interviewed very well and seemed thankful for teams giving him a shot. He talked about being accountable on learning and improving his defense, and frankly, I buy it. he knows what he has to do to become an elite hockey player and he has the talent to do so. Who cares if he had a run in with a coach as a kid, he was too young to know the weight of his decisions and that is in the past. He is one of the most talented players in the draft offensively, however most know about his defensive deficiencies. He's done some incredible things and put up some incredible point totals with his amazing offensive capabilities, however he has the defensive issues that are tooted aroudn when talkign about Merkley. There's always one of these players every few years. He reminds me of Oliver Kylington from 2015, but more offensively talented. He needs to put the pieces together in order to become a dynamic, top pairing defenseman. Merkley can QB a powerplay like no other using his elite skating, fantastic offensive instincts, and passing ability. He has some great vision and is fantastic in transition. As far as his defense goes, he often makes silly decisions, getting caught way up the ice and creating odd man rushes for the other teams. He needs to put on some muscle to help his physicality which is not very good. Merkley could be a fair few years away from the NHL, I'll guess 3.
Potential: Elite Top Pair Defenseman
Possibility: Unlikely / Low
Click to expand...

HF User Magua (Rank: NR)
I’m not even sure where to begin with Merkley. There’s a reason he was taken #1 in the OHL draft; there’s a reason he’s been one of the highest scoring CHL defensemen in his age class for 2 consecutive years (on a bad Guelph team and as an August birthday yet). He has incredibly soft hands, excellent 4-way mobility, and can thread many a highlight reel pass. And yet he doesn’t look anything like an NHL defenseman to me. I wouldn’t even bother taking a chance on him, no matter how good the value is if he falls. In my 2 years of watching him, I’ve seen close to no development or maturation.
To even his ardent fans, Merkley is something of a defensive disaster. He’s lazy with his stick and feet and body, constantly misreads coverages, has close to no physical presence, and would drive any coach batty. And this is all at the junior level. If you are so dead-set on banking on the offensive ability of Merkley, to maneuver around and work with his flaws, I’d answer 27 back that he’s not actually as intelligent offensively as his skill level, at least in a projectable sense. He overhandles pucks constantly, never having met a quick pass he likes. He needs to be the one to make THE play, and it leads to being painted into corners and many egregious turnovers or being rag dolled off pucks. While he’s very talented and patient, there’s never a shred of urgency to anything he does. He wants to play his game at his pace all the time, whether it works or not. Even his highlight reel passes — like his patented fake slap shot at the top of the right face-off dot, skate around the forward, fling it through the slot — are plays he’ll make whether it’s open or not. He doesn’t particularly care. He’ll also almost never shoot a puck, possessing something of a weak shot, and when he does shoot it’s usually at an odd time, like he got bored of playmaking. Boiled down to his essence, Merkley can be a player with horrendous effort level at times and a player who exhibits consistently low hockey sense — even offensively, though the numbers may fool you. I am fascinated to see who takes him though as a scouting and risk/reward litmus test.
Click to expand...
 
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hohosaregood

hohosaregood

Banned
Sep 1, 2011
32,400
12,606
Barrie22 said:
Everything about the write ups in this thread screams burns mini me.
Click to expand...
Main thing is that Merkley is a huge passer. Like that's always the focus on him when anybody writes about him. Bar none the most successful passer in the draft basically.
 
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Sysreq

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
2,957
1,219
It’s too bad Paul Martin just got the boot. We have another Wookiee to whisper.
 

stator

Registered User
Apr 17, 2012
5,030
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San Jose
High risk choice, but perhaps the Sharks think risk can be minimized by moving him to forward if needed?
 
Levie

Levie

Registered User
Mar 15, 2011
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What are his actual character issues? Is there an article that details them?
 
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