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Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist
A bit small, no?
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Yeah he's pretty undersized but his compete level is off the charts and he doesn't play a small man's game at all.
The only concern with his size is that his body may not hold up well long-term considering the style he plays. He often tries to go for the big hit against way bigger guys which isn't a conducive recipe in the NHL. That's coachable though.
It's always hard to find natural RW's though and he's a rare breed as a playmaker instead of sniper from that position.
Still a month to go before the draft but he seems like a guy who may drop a few spots due to size and be a good value pickup at 15. He would've probably gone 6th, right after Michael Dal Colle in the draft last year.
You never know. Someone else may fall down the board on draft day that would represent BPA option for the Flames over Merkley. But Merkley seems to be in a small group of players that will likely be there when the Flames pick and likely be the BPA or close to it.