Elvis Merzlikins Signs Five-Year Deal with Blue Jackets

Elvis is staying the building for quite a while.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to a five-year, $27 million contract extension, keeping him in Ohio until 2026-27.

Merzlikins has posted a 21-21-13 record with a 2.54 goals-against average, .920 save percentage and seven shutouts in 61 career games over two seasons since coming over from the Swiss league. Merzlikins is expected to be Latvia's starting goaltender at the 2022 Olympics and should continue leading the Blue Jackets during the team's rebuild.

“Goaltending is a position of strength for our team and Elvis Merzlikins has been an important part of that over the past two seasons so we are very excited to have agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep him in Columbus for at least the next six years,” GM Jarmo Kekalainen said in a release. “He is big, athletic and has a tremendous passion for the game and we believe he will be an integral part of our success in the coming years.”