Nick Merkleysa国际传媒 tweet said it all.
鈥淪uper excited to see my brother @jay_merkley this week,鈥 he posted to his Twitter account, @merkdaddy4, on Sunday.
We can鈥檛 know if Jay responded in kind since his tweets are protected, but he sure wasn鈥檛 afraid to give his brother a glowing report last night after the two squared off at Prospera Place.
鈥淚 watch his highlights all the time,鈥 said the 19-year-old star with the Swift Current Broncos, who fell 4-0 to Nicksa国际传媒 sa国际传媒 Rockets. 鈥淗esa国际传媒 an exceptional hockey player. Hesa国际传媒 such a treat to watch鈥
The Broncos capped a long road trip last night, their fifth game in eight days.
They looked tired.
The boys from Swift Current were outshot 26-18, outhustled and outworked.
鈥淵eah, itsa国际传媒 the end of a road trip, but theresa国际传媒 no excuses,鈥 Jay said. 鈥淚t just wasn鈥檛 good. I didn鈥檛 think we did the best job mentally preparing for this.鈥
He gives full props to the Rockets, though. They鈥檙e the stiffest competition the Broncos have faced thus far this season.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e so deep; the whole team just comes at you,鈥 Jay said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e built an exceptional hockey team here. I don鈥檛 what it is. Somethingsa国际传媒 working; something in the water, maybe. Every player that comes here just becomes good鈥
And that makes him immensely happy for his younger bro.
THE UP-AND-COMER
Nicksa国际传媒 accolades are many in his young WHL career.
After racking up 25 goals and 33 assists last season, he won the leaguesa国际传媒 rookie-of-the-year award and he wore the Hockey Canada logo for his country at the illustrious Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for U18s in Slovakia this summer. He played for Team Pacific at the World U17 tournament last season.
鈥淚t was a pretty good summer for me,鈥 Nick said. 鈥淭heresa国际传媒 lots going on for me but I have to put that behind me and just play hockey.鈥
Right now, hesa国际传媒 just trying to keep his head level, while leading the Rockets scoring with three goals and 13 points. Hesa国际传媒 working hard on improving his game and his strength, paying attention to the veterans on the Rockets鈥 lineup.
鈥淲e have good leaders,鈥 Nick said. 鈥淚f I ever got out of line, one of them would screw me back in. I have to try to be better every day.鈥
Advice from his brother comes in handy.
Jay has taught Nick 鈥渆verything,鈥 the younger Merkley said.
鈥淗e got me to this point in my life, so I thank him for that,鈥 Nick said. 鈥淗e gave me lots of tips and kept me on track. He has all the experience and reflects that onto me.鈥
Jay shrugs off the credit, though, noting his rookie years with the hapless Lethbridge Hurricanes were a struggle.
鈥淣ick has done it on his own,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y experience in the Dub when I was 16 years old was not like his. . . . I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of what hesa国际传媒 accomplished this year and what hesa国际传媒 going to accomplish in the future. Hesa国际传媒 an up-and-coming star and I鈥檒l be rooting for him.鈥
JAY鈥橲 REVENGE
Jaysa国际传媒 no slouch, even though the reports out of Lethbridge said he was.
A story, posted at the time of his 2013 trade from the Hurricanes to the Swift Current Broncos, said he wasn’t “living up to his billing” as a third-overall bantam draft pick.
Whatever.
Jay was the WHL player of the week earlier this season and hesa国际传媒 leading his team in scoring with six goals and 11 points.
He enjoyed his quick start out of the gate but admitted he's slowed down on the road trip.
Never mind, though.聽He鈥檒l always have the support of his younger brother.
鈥淐ongrats to my brother @jay_merkley on the big night #hatty #proudbrother,鈥 Nick tweeted on Sept. 19.
