NHL Trade Rumors: Elvis Merzlikins Seeking Fresh Start

The Columbus Blue Jackets are primed to make a move.

With Christmas comes goalie issues - or at least that's how it looks like 2023 will go out. The Edmonton Oilers aren't immune to it as Jack Campbell is the midst of a tough stretch in the AHL.

Looking around the NHL the goalie landscape isn't great, particularly in Carolina. The Carolina Hurricanes put veteran goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers over the weekend.

After he cleared, they recalled a goalie from their ECHL affiliate. They followed that up with agreeing to a free agent tryout with Aaron Dell today. Pyotr Kochetkov has taken over starting duties while they wait for Frederik Andersen to get healthy.

There is one team with three goalies at the NHL level that may move one of them soon: the Columbus Blue Jackets. Danil Tarasov, Spencer Martin and Elvis Merzlikins make up the goaltenders traveling with the team.

In the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast Elliotte Friedman reports, "I've had a couple of people on Sunday say that they can see the possibility of that, maybe both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Merzlikins feel that it's time for him to try somewhere else."

The Blue Jackets have had their fair share of drama this year, but this certainly is a wrinkle in their plans. Merzlikins is a good goalie, but if both sides agree it's best to trade him to a playoff team they have to at least listen to offers.

No matter who the player is, sometimes you reach a point where the best course of action is to move on. It seems like Merzlikins may be at that point now.

If this is the case, it seems silly for the Oilers to not go down this path. If they really need to, they could try to package another asset with Campbell to get his salary off of the balance sheet. They could also see if the Blue Jackets are willing to make that switch directly.

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