"You can see how when he's playing junior he can score some points," Ricci said after the Sharks' Prospects Scrimmage at SAP Center on Friday. "The puck's on his tape, he's always looking for a play.
"He's never really rushed, and there will be times where he'll have to hurry up a little bit. l thought he's been great, and his body's just going to get [stronger] with age. He's going to be scary to see.
"He's doing this now with a 17-year-old body. He's going to progress. He made some plays out there with his stick, defending plays. Being a defenseman and being that young, it's not easy."
At 5-foot-11 and 168 pounds, Merkley was the lightest defenseman in camp. He competed against players who not only outweighed him by as much as 65 pounds, but were as many as seven years older. Twelve players in camp had experience in the American Hockey League.
"It's obviously a big adjustment," Merkley said. "I'm obviously a smaller frame compared to these guys, especially you throw in the age, too. They have a lot more experience, a lot more confidence. This is my first camp. They've been through it a few times and obviously it's a different challenge for me here. I believe in myself."
Merkley will play his third season for Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 OHL Draft, he has 122 points (25 goals, 97 assists) in 125 games over two seasons with Guelph, including 67 points (13 goals, 54 assists) in 63 games last season.
