© Marc DesRosiers-Imagn ImagesIn a Latvian article published this morning, it was confirmed that Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins will not be joining Latvia at the World Championships in May.
Merzlikins cited family and personal matters as the reason for opting out of the tournament. He recently welcomed another child to his family and feels that spending time with them—along with working on himself—is more of a priority this summer.
He has previously played in six World Championships for his home country and will now pass on what would have been his seventh.
This season, Merzlikins helped backstop the Blue Jackets to meaningful games in April. While they ultimately fell short, being eliminated on the second-last day of the regular season, there were moments where he stepped up and kept his team in games.
In 53 appearances, he posted a 26-21-5 record with a 3.18 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage—marking the most games he’s played in a single NHL season.
That said, questions remain about Merzlikins' future in Columbus. A recent report suggested that the Blue Jackets may be considering an overhaul in goal, potentially making this an offseason to watch.
