Ryan Merkley on What Went Wrong With Sharks, What’s Going Right in Colorado (+)

Ryan Merkley is finally talking about what went wrong between he and the San Jose Sharks.

“A little bit on me, a little bit on them,” he told San Jose Hockey Now, before admitting, “I wasn’t what I was supposed to be.”

The 2018 first-round pick, once considered the organization’s top prospect, requested a trade in early January. Later that month, GM Mike Grier sent Merkley and Matt Nieto to the Colorado Avalanche for Martin Kaut and Jacob MacDonald.

Merkley made his first visit back to San Jose this past weekend, as the Colorado Eagles swept the weekend series against the San Jose Barracuda, eliminating the Cuda from the AHL Pacific Division playoff race.

The defenseman has two goals and six assists in 28 games with the Eagles.

San Jose Hockey Now caught up with Merkley after Saturday’s game, in perhaps his first interview about his time with the San Jose Sharks since his trade request.

Merkley talked about getting chippy with ex-Cuda teammates this past weekend, acknowledged that he was unhappy that the Sharks started the season in Europe without him, and how he sees more “light at the end of the tunnel” with Colorado than in San Jose.