The young Russian goalie is currently unsigned by the Blue Jackets.
Goaltending prospect Sergei Ivanov was drafted in the 2022 NHL Draft as the 138th overall pick, and according to ESPN's Rachel Kryshak, he might be on his way to America.
Kryshak states in a recent article that "Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said the organization believes Ivanov is ready, and he confirmed his intention to come to North America when his KHL contract expires after this season."
This could be good news for a franchise that has struggled to maintain any goalie depth during the last handful of years.
The Jackets currently have Ivanov, Melvin Strahl, and 2025 draft pick Pyotr Andreyanov in the pipeline. Strahl and Andreyanov aren't expected to be in the organization for a few years. Evan Gardner is also having a good year, as is Nolan Lalonde, who has been bouncing back and forth between Toledo of the ECHL and Cleveland.
Back to Ivanov, he played for SKA St. Petersburg this season in the KHL, going 13-11-2 with a SV% of .928 and three shutouts.
Getting another young goalie in the system will be a very good thing for the Blue Jackets, and it is probably going to happen at an ideal time. Elvis Merzlikins contract expires after next season, and no one knows what's going to happen with that situation.
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