By Regan Bartel

Former Rocket spends season in Belarus

Nick Merkley is itching to get back in the NHL

Jun 23, 2023 | 9:30 AM

Nick Merkley has experienced the NHL lifestyle.

The 26-year-old has had a brief sampling of what it is like to play at the elite level.

With just 41 games split between the Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks, the former Kelowna Rocket can’t find the formula to be a mainstay on the 23-person active roster.

Originally selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Merkley took his game overseas this past season, to Belarus, where he played in the Kontinental Hockey League.

“It was a great experience”, Merkley told RocketFAN. “The fans were amazing. Our team was ok, as we snuck into the playoffs.”

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Considered the best league outside of the NHL, Merkley suited up for Dinamo Minsk, where he finished third in team scoring with 20 goals and 40 points in 67 games.

“Everything is by air”, Merkley outlines how the teams travel from city to city. “We have a private plane. Five of the teams are in Moscow, so the flights are an hour and a half. We have one that is ten hours to Vladivostok, so you are playing eight hours ahead of Minsk, so it’s crazy.”

Merkley played under Canadian-born coach Craig Woodcroft this past season, but his contract wasn’t renewed. In early April, Russian Dmitry Kvartalnov, the winningest coach in KHL history was hired as a replacement.

“In Belarus, it is pretty European”, Merkley explains what life is like in the capital city of 1.9 million. “Most of the younger people speak English. There are some nice restaurants. The city is great. The people are friendly.”

Playing home games at Minsk-Arena is a thrill. Built in 2010, the 350-million-dollar facility has played host to the likes of touring pop singers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

“When we play top teams, we get crowds of 15 thousand.” Merkley added. “They are blue-collar fans and love the game.”

RocketFAN had to ask the likable Calgary resident why its been so hard to find his footing at the NHL level.

“I’d say it is being in the wrong place at the wrong time”, Merkley said bluntly. “You can see I did produce at every level. It is more than that as you have to play both ends of the ice.”

The similarities between Merkley and current Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall are scary. Both are skilled, undersized forwards in junior hockey with an offensive flare. Merkley may be a better skater, but Cristall’s hockey IQ is a cut above.

Merkley was a first-round draft pick, with Cristall a good bet to hear his name called next Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Obviously, there is added pressure [being a first-round NHL draft choice]. You are supposed to get good opportunities from the start. You want to perform and once you do, you should get an opportunity if you are drafted that high, but sometimes it doesn’t come right away.”

Merkley remembers NHL draft day like it was yesterday. There were more than a few anxious moments in Sunrise, Florida as he waited for his name to be called.

“I was kind of sweating”, Merkley watching phenom Connor McDavid taken first overall. “I was the last player picked in the opening round. We were ready to come back for day two, and all my buddies were watching it, and they turned the channel as they thought I wasn’t going to get picked, so that kind of sucked.”

Merkley has seen video of Andrew Cristall in-game action. He too sees the similarities.

“You must let him take chances and let him cheat a little bit here and there just to get the most out of him,” Merkley outlines how the above- average skilled forward should be coached. “If you are a guy who can execute in those situations, and if you do cheat, you pick up a goal or make the right play, that is more highly touted than a defensive player. That skill level doesn’t just come around, so you should give him chances to succeed and use that skill and hockey sense to your team’s advantage.”

When asked about playing with current Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, when the two were teammates on the 2015 WHL champion Kelowna Rockets, Merkley says, “Hands down he is the best guy I have ever played with. I don’t think he was trying half the time.”

Named the WHL Rookie of the Year in 2014 with 25 goals and 58 points as a 16-year-old, Merkley says one of his fondest memories of playing in the WHL was helping line-mate Rourke Chartier score 50 goals.

“The reason I had 70 assists that season was Chartier couldn’t miss”, Merkley said with a chuckle. “Of the 48 goals he scored, I probably had 40 assists.

“He had about 15 shots in the last two games trying to get his 50, but unfortunately, he came up short.”

What does the hockey future hold for Merkley? Clearly going back to Europe this fall isn’t his first option.

“That is the end goal for anyone who plays hockey [to play in the NHL]. I need to go in there and have that fire, and hope that people will notice. I just need to do well, help my team win, and enjoy the next step in the journey.”