Product Code Database
Nicholas Merkley (born May 23, 1997) is a Canadians professional ice hockey right winger currently playing under contract with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Merkley was formerly rated as a top prospect who was widely projected to be a first-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In the said Draft, he was selected 30th overall by the Arizona Coyotes, the final pick of the opening round.
On September 3, 2015, Merkley agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes.
He made his NHL debut on December 19, 2017, against the Florida Panthers. He played 13 minutes 30 seconds of ice time in a 3–2 loss. He was sent back down to the AHL shortly after. On January 4, 2018, Merkley was selected for the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic Game in Utica, New York.
During the 2019–20 season while with the Tucson Roadrunners, Merkley was traded by the Coyotes to the New Jersey Devils in a deal involving star forward Taylor Hall on December 16, 2019. Merkley joined the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils, and was instantly productive in collecting 8 goals and 19 points in 28 regular season games. He was later recalled by the New Jersey Devils, adding a goal and an assist in four games, before the regular season was abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As an impending restricted free agent with the Devils and with the team unable to qualify in the return to play format, Merkley signed a one-year contract with the Finnish Liiga club Ässät on August 27, 2020, in order to stay in game shape. His contract included an NHL-out clause until commencement of the delayed 2020–21 North American season.
On July 26, 2021, Merkley was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Christián Jaroš. He signed a one-year contract three days later. He made his debut for the Sharks on October 30, 2021, in a 2–1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Three days later, he recorded his first point as an assist in a 5–3 victory against the Buffalo Sabres. His first goal came on November 4, 2021, in a 3–5 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
On March 21, 2022, Merkley was traded by the Sharks to the New York Rangers in exchange for Anthony Bitetto at the NHL trade deadline.
On August 1, 2022, having left the Rangers as a free agent, Merkley agreed to a one-year contract with Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, for the 2022–23 season.
On July 8, 2024, Merkley signed a two-year contract to play for another KHL team, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
| 2012–13 | Calgary Buffaloes | AMHL | 30 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 95 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| 2012–13 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 66 | 25 | 33 | 58 | 46 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 12 |
| 2014–15 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 72 | 20 | 70 | 90 | 79 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 18 |
| 2015–16 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 43 | 17 | 31 | 48 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 63 | 23 | 40 | 63 | 73 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 22 |
| 2017–18 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 38 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 45 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 26 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Binghamton Devils | AHL | 28 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Ässät | Liiga | 19 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 27 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Binghamton Devils | AHL | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | San Jose Barracuda | AHL | 43 | 11 | 25 | 36 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 16 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 67 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 88 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 28 |
| 2023–24 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 65 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 55 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 2024–25 | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL | 59 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 40 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | Canada Pacific | U17 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | |
| 2014 | Canada | IH18 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | |
| Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy – WHL Rookie of the Year | 2013–14 | |
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Gold Medal | 2014 | |
| CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game | 2015 | |
| WHL (West) Second All-Star Team | 2015 | |
| CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team | 2015 | |
| American Hockey League All-Star Game | 2018 |
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