Columbus Blue Jackets Shopping Elvis Merzlikins
Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and the Columbus Blue Jackets seem set on a "new scenario" because of his limited play. Here's the latest speculation on his future.
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Elvis Merzlikins could be parting ways.
On Jan. 12, the 29-year-old goaltender told reporters that he and the club reached a mutual decision to pursue a “new scenario” after he'd been supplanted as their starter by Daniil Tarasov. While he indicated that he hasn't requested a trade, Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch reported the Jackets are seeking potential trade partners.
Merzlikins became the Blue Jackets' starter after signing a five-year contract extension in 2021 with an average annual value of $5.4 million. It led to the departure nearly two years later of one-time starter Joonas Korpisalo in a trade last March with the Los Angeles Kings.
The last time Merzlikins saw action was on Dec. 29, as the Blue Jackets have since been evaluating Tarasov as a starting goalie. That hasn't sat well with Merzlikins, who expressed his unhappiness over the situation to the press.
Merzlikins was having a bounce-back performance following a disappointing effort last season. With playoff contenders such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs having goalie issues, he could become an interesting trade option for one of them.
Back in December, the Oilers were rumored to be scouting the Blue Jackets' goaltending. On Friday, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal proposed trading Merzlikins straight up for Jack Campbell, who's currently toiling with the Oilers' AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.
Both goaltenders carry roughly the same salary-cap hit (Campbell's is $5 million) for the same period. That move could favor the Oilers, given that Merzlikins is an NHL netminder. There's little reason for the Blue Jackets to bring in Campbell, who still hasn't played his way back since his demotion in November.
Merzlikins' contract is a significant sticking point given the cap hit as well as his 10-team no-trade list. The Blue Jackets would prefer clearing his entire contract from their books, but that's unlikely to happen with so many teams carrying limited cap space. They'll have to retain some salary to move him by the March 8 trade deadline.
