The team said Merk was added as a backup plan and will be a healthy scratch unless the team needs him. Merk played only one game in the 2007 Spring League, but was the team's second leading-scorer in the 2006 Summer League. Franchise fans will probably remember Merk pairing with Matt King to form the team's old scoring line.
Merk was expected to announce his retirement but agreed to stay after the team offered him a lower-commitment deal. The deal will be similar to the one Merk signed to be included on the 2007 Spring team.
With Merk's signing, the Franchise Hockey roster stands at 7. However, the team said they will announce two to three more signings over the weekend.