Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round (21st overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Ryan Merkley is a 19-year-old, 5-foot-11, offensive-minded, right-handed defenseman.
Merkley just finished up his fourth full season playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), playing for his third different team in those four years.
Looking at Merkley’s stats throughout his juniors career, there’s no doubt he’s an offensively gifted player. Over his 248 career OHL games, Merkley has scored 269 points (54 goals, 215 assists). It’s clear that Merkley is an elite playmaker from the blue line at the junior level.