Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 1, 2024 9:34:01 GMT -5
My take: The Habs dipped into the US prep school circuit and picked a big centre from the same school that Struble attended. He is said to have a good shot, put up decent numbers against weak competition and there are some knocks on his skating technique. Hello, Adam Nicholas, we have another one for you. He is committed to the NCAA in two seasons, and will move to a perennially strong BCHL program in Penticton next season. I actually drove by their rink yesterday and commented to my wife that one of our recent draftees was going to be playing there next season, and she looked at me funny. 😆
The reports:
It feels like every year, the Habs will use a later-round selection on a high-school player, one who will be an extremely long-term project. Merrill is one of those players. He’s moving to the BCHL for next season and has a 2025 college commitment to Harvard.
Bio
Centre
Shoots: Right
DOB: Nov. 4, 2005 – Hingham, MA
Height: 6’4
Weight: 190 lbs
Scouting Reports
Elite Prospects: There’s no way around it: Ben Merill may be one of the rawest prospects in the entire draft. One of the poorest skaters in this draft, Merrill’s edges and stride mechanics are limiting. He stumbles, operates with sloppy, unbalanced footwork, and struggles to stop and start efficiently. Only generating speed if there is a significant runway; even the lightest physicality sends Merrill to the ice. Merrill has some exciting qualities when you consider his shooting tool and manipulation use. Unfortunately, the issue of his translatability to the professional game always circles back to his skating.
Hockey Prospect: He’s going to Penticton in the BCHL next season before attending Harvard, that’s probably the right, longterm development path. As for now, pucks really jump off his blade. He can make some neat area and saucer passes out of his quick hand movement – but he’s not a natural playmaker. There is some jam to his game, especially near the net in the offensive zone. His defensive lies in his strong stick and reach combination, but he generally isn’t digging in too hard on the backcheck. It’s a long range, longshot projection, but he could be a power winger that works the wall and the front of the net to some acclaim way down the road. He’s at least a watchlist player, if not a very late pick.
The reports:
It feels like every year, the Habs will use a later-round selection on a high-school player, one who will be an extremely long-term project. Merrill is one of those players. He’s moving to the BCHL for next season and has a 2025 college commitment to Harvard.
Bio
Centre
Shoots: Right
DOB: Nov. 4, 2005 – Hingham, MA
Height: 6’4
Weight: 190 lbs
Scouting Reports
Elite Prospects: There’s no way around it: Ben Merill may be one of the rawest prospects in the entire draft. One of the poorest skaters in this draft, Merrill’s edges and stride mechanics are limiting. He stumbles, operates with sloppy, unbalanced footwork, and struggles to stop and start efficiently. Only generating speed if there is a significant runway; even the lightest physicality sends Merrill to the ice. Merrill has some exciting qualities when you consider his shooting tool and manipulation use. Unfortunately, the issue of his translatability to the professional game always circles back to his skating.
Hockey Prospect: He’s going to Penticton in the BCHL next season before attending Harvard, that’s probably the right, longterm development path. As for now, pucks really jump off his blade. He can make some neat area and saucer passes out of his quick hand movement – but he’s not a natural playmaker. There is some jam to his game, especially near the net in the offensive zone. His defensive lies in his strong stick and reach combination, but he generally isn’t digging in too hard on the backcheck. It’s a long range, longshot projection, but he could be a power winger that works the wall and the front of the net to some acclaim way down the road. He’s at least a watchlist player, if not a very late pick.