Boston Bruins head coach Marco Sturm facing criticism for recent treatment of a top prospect

With multiple forwards injured, one of the Bruins' top prospects in Georgii Merkulov earned a recall from the Providence Bruins and jumped into Friday's lineup against the New York Rangers.

He didn't look the best out there, but instead of building on that performance, Sturm made him a healthy scratch tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. The decision landed poorly with a fanbase already frustrated by the growing list of unavailable forwards.

What stung more was the replacement. Sturm chose Jeffrey Viel, a physical winger who has yet to carve out much offensive impact. Fans felt that sitting a skilled prospect for a depth grinder feels counterproductive given the team's offensive struggles without David Pastrnak.

Sturm's earlier decision to play Merkulov on his off wing Friday also added fuel. Merkulov, a left shot who thrives on the left side where his edge work opens passing lanes, looked uncomfortable at times trying to build plays from playing his off side.

That deployment confused many supporters who expected the Bruins to showcase the 25-year-old in a role that suits his strengths.

The reaction online grew sharper once tonight's scratch became public. Some fans felt the team sent mixed signals, recalling a top prospect during a depth crisis only to bench him for a player viewed as offering far less upside.

Here is one of the reactions from earlier this evening:

Boston is short-handed, searching for offense, and relying heavily on players like Casey Mittelstadt and Marat Khusnutdinov, Elias Lindholm, and Pavel Zacha to drive play.

For a Bruins team battling injuries and inconsistency, frustration from the fanbase feels inevitable. If Merkulov continues to bounce in and out of the lineup, Sturm's handling of one of the organization's most promising prospects will remain under the microscope.