Merzlikins stopped 38 of 44 shots in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Jets.
While the Blue Jackets have proved some doubters wrong early on, the Jets' relentless offense was too much for Merzlikins to handle Friday. He had won his last two starts, including a shutout over the Islanders on Wednesday. The 30-year-old is now 2-3-0 with a 2.86 GAA and a .907 save percentage over five starts this season. Merzlikins will likely get Saturday off with Daniil Tarasov expected to start on the road against the Capitals. Merzlikins is likely to start two of three games during the Blue Jackets' swing through California next week.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Between pipes Friday
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Merzlikins will tend the twine in Friday's home game against the Jets, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.
Merzlikins is riding a two-game winning streak during which he has given up just one goal on 58 shots (.983 save percentage). While that streak does include a win over the Oilers, Friday's matchup will likely be the 30-year-old backstop's toughest test of the season, as he squares off with a Winnipeg team that is scoring a league-high 4.60 goals per game. With a back-to-back on the schedule, look for Daniil Tarasov to guard the cage on the road versus Washington on Saturday.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Blanks Isles on Wednesday
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Merzlikins made 26 saves in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Islanders.
It's the first shutout of the season for Merzlikins, and after a few rough years the 30-year-old netminder may be slowly regaining his confidence while working behind the tighter defensive structure of new head coach Dean Evason. Merzlikins has won two straight starts, allowing just one goal on 58 shots, and he's building a case to break out of a timeshare with Daniil Tarasov and reclaim the No. 1 job for the Blue Jackets.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Set to start Wednesday
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Merzlikins is expected to start in Wednesday's home game against the Islanders, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers.
Merzlikins is getting the opportunity to start in consecutive games after stopping 31 of 32 shots en route to a 6-1 victory over Edmonton on Monday. He's in a good position to build off that recent success against the Islanders, who are tied for 30th offensively with just 2.33 goals per game. Merzlikins has a record of 1-2-0 with a 2.76 GAA and a .900 save percentage across three outings overall in 2024-25.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Collects first win of season
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Merzlikins made 31 saves in Monday's 6-1 win over the Oilers.
The 30-year-old goalie nearly came away with a shutout as well as his first win of the season, but Mattias Ekholm snuck home a power-play tally inside the final minute of the third period. It was Merzlikins' first action since Oct. 15, as Daniil Tarasov has taken over the top spot in the Columbus crease in the early going, but the duo could slip back into a timeshare if Elvis keeps performing well.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Tending twine Monday
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Merzlikins patrol the home crease Monday against Edmonton, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers.
Merzlikins' return to the crease will end Daniil Tarasov's streak of four consecutive starts. The 30-year-old Merzlikins has surrendered seven goals on 48 shots in two appearances this campaign. Edmonton is coming off a 3-2 overtime win over Detroit on Sunday.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Moves past injury
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Merzlikins is healthy after tending to a lower-body issue and will backup Daniil Tarasov against Toronto on Tuesday, according to Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site.
Merzlikins hasn't played since Oct. 15 against Florida, in which he allowed four goals on 22 shots in a 4-3 loss. The Latvian netminder is 0-2-0 with an .854 save percentage and a 3.68 GAA through two appearances. The 30-year-old's next chance to draw a start will come Saturday against Nashville.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Won't play Saturday
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Merzlikins (upper body) won't be in the lineup for Saturday's home game versus Minnesota, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.
Merzlikins has a record of 0-2-0 with a 3.68 GAA and an .854 save percentage in two appearances in 2024-25. Daniil Tarasov is expected to start Saturday, while Jet Greaves will serve as the understudy.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Injury details updated
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Merzlikins is now being considered out short-term with an upper-body injury, Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch reports.
Merzlikins doesn't sound like he'll be available Thursday to face the Sabres, but it's unclear how long he'll be out beyond that. The 30-year-old goalie has gone 0-2-0 with seven goals allowed on 48 shots over his first two games of the season. Daniil Tarasov figures to see an uptick in playing time since the Blue Jackets don't have a back-to-back over the next week.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Questionable for Thursday
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Merzlikins is questionable for Thursday's home game against Buffalo because of what's been described as physical fatigue, Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch reports Wednesday.
Merzlikins has stopped 41 of 48 shots (.854 save percentage) across two starts this season, including a 4-3 loss to Florida on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets have already recalled goaltender Jet Greaves, so if Merzlikins isn't available Thursday, then Greaves will dress, likely as the understudy of Daniil Tarasov.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Downed by Panthers
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Merzlikins made 18 saves in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Florida.
It wasn't a great night for Merzlikins, as he lost his shape and positioning on the first two Panthers goals, but he played well enough down the stretch that the Blue Jackets had a chance to tie it up when he was pulled for an extra attacker late. The 30-year-old is seeing fewer pucks thanks to the defensive system installed by new coach Dean Evason, but as yet Merzlikins isn't taking advantage, going 0-2-0 in his first two starts of the season with an .854 save percentage.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Defeated in season opener
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Merzlikins gave up three goals on 26 shots in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Wild.
Merzlikins was defeated once in each period, and there's nothing he could've done to avoid any of the goals he conceded. This wasn't the start of the season the 30-year-old would've wanted, though wins will certainly be hard to come by while guarding the net of a Blue Jackets team likely to struggle in 2024-25. Merzlikins will aim to secure his first win of the season Saturday on the road against the Avalanche.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: In goal Thursday
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Merzlikins will get the starting nod on the road against the Wild on Thursday, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.
Merzlikins has reached the 20-win mark in just one of his five NHL seasons and likely will struggle to get to that threshold this year as well. If the 30-year-old backstop continues to underwhelm, he could see Daniil Tarasov stealing starts away from him down the stretch.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Lead slips away Thursday
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Merzlikins turned aside 21 of 23 shots in Thursday's 3-1 preseason loss to the Penguins.
The Blue Jackets grabbed an early lead, but Merzlikins couldn't make it stick, getting beaten by Valtteri Puustinen in the second period and Johnny Gruden in the third before Pittsburgh tacked on an empty-netter. The 30-year-old is expected to split goaltending duties with Daniil Tarasov this season, and while wins will likely be hard to come by, tighter defensive play by Columbus under new head coach Dean Evason could result in Merzllikins improving upon the 3.45 GAA and .897 save percentage he managed in 2023-24.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Receiving starting nod
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Merzlikins will start at home versus the Penguins in Thursday's preseason game, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.
Merzlikins is set for his third preseason start after allowing three goals on 50 shots over his first two outings. He won both of those games. Merzlikins' strong preseason is giving him a good chance to begin 2024-25 as the Blue Jackets' No. 1 goalie.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: In goal Saturday
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Merzlikins will protect the home goal in a preseason game versus the Sabres on Saturday, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.
Merzlikins stopped all 19 shots he faced in his preseason debut Wednesday versus the Sabres. The 30-year-old will face a youthful version of the Sabres' lineup, as the team's veterans are all in Europe in preparation for the NHL Global Series, so Merzlikins should put in another strong performance Saturday.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Set to start Wednesday
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Merzlikins will guard the home goal in Wednesday's preseason game versus the Blues, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.
Merzlikins will be making his preseason debut in this contest. The 30-year-old goalie had another rough campaign in 2023-24, posting a 3.45 GAA and an .897 save percentage while going 13-17-8 over 41 appearances. Due to his $5.4 million cap hit, Merzlikins is projected to be the Blue Jackets' top goalie to begin this season.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Returning Tuesday
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Merzlikins (lower body) will serve as the backup to Jet Greaves on Tuesday at home against Carolina, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers.
Merzlikins had a disappointing season but didn't get much help from his offense all year. The 30-year-old recorded an .897 save percentage and a 13-17-8 record in 41 appearances. His status for the 2024-25 campaign is somewhat unclear. Although he is signed through 2026-27, the netminder requested a trade in January after seemingly losing the starting gig. He didn't end up getting dealt, and all parties may have put that behind them, but it'll be something worth monitoring during the summer. There is a good chance he'll open the 2024-25 campaign as Columbus' No. 1 goaltender should he remain with the franchise.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Out Sunday
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Merzlikins (lower body) will not be available Sunday against Carolina.
Merzlikins has now been out for four consecutive games and the team hasn't provided much of an update beyond his day-to-day designation April 1. The 29-year-old is 1-4-1 with an .860 save percentage over his last six appearances. Malcolm Subban will start Sunday while Jet Greaves dresses as the backup.
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Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Not playing Saturday
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Merzlikins (lower body) will not play Saturday versus the Flyers, Coby Maeir of 1st Ohio Battery reports.
Merzlikins will miss his third straight game. The Blue Jackets also lost Daniil Tarasov (upper body) in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Islanders and may need to recall Malcolm Subban from the minors for Saturday's contest if Tarasov is unable to go. Merzlikins is 13-17-8 with a 3.45 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 41 appearances this season.
