Issues haven’t gone based on plan ever since goaltender Elvis Merzlikins signed an extension to stick with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Though his 2023-24 season was higher statistically than the earlier 12 months, his efficiency is just not assembly the worth of his contract.
GM Don Waddell mentioned over the summer time that “no person’s taking that contract” when discussing Merzlikins. Nonetheless, it was essential to notice that Waddell admitted being within the goaltender whereas he was in Carolina.
Provided that there’s three seasons left on that contract and the very fact the Blue Jackets didn’t purchase Merzlikins out, it leaves them with the choice of hoping for an enormous turnaround in 2024-25. With Daniil Tarasov and Jet Greaves pushing for extra enjoying time, the strain is on Merzlikins to seek out his recreation.
This seems to be an open competitors. Whereas the contract suggests Merzlikins is the number-one, preseason efficiency will dictate who will get the web in Recreation 1. If Tarasov is clearly higher, he’ll play.
Merzlikins spoke completely to the Hockey Writers after his group’s apply Saturday to debate his offseason and preparation for the upcoming season.
“I really feel good,” Merzlikins mentioned. “I’m joyful to be again. I miss hockey, missed the boys. So joyful to be again.”
Whereas a lot of the Blue Jackets’ gamers paid shut consideration to the state of the GM search, Merzlikins took a distinct method on the suggestion of his spouse. After the World Championships had been accomplished, the household traveled to Europe the place Elvis may mentally reset. They hung out in Warsaw the place his spouse Aleksandra’s household lives. Additionally they hung out in Switzerland.
Throughout that point, Merzlikins shut hockey off fully. It was on function for his profit.
“Because the second I left Columbus till the second I got here again right here, I didn’t care about hockey in any respect,” Merzlikins mentioned. “That’s why I’m telling you I took time for myself. I had no thought what was happening within the playoffs. In fact, I watched Recreation 7. However I took it off. I wanted to take it off. I adopted my spouse’s suggestion and that was the perfect suggestion up to now as a result of once I got here again right here, I felt unreal, tremendous sturdy and a recent man.”
Merzlikins got here again to Columbus on the finish of July. Even when the group was nonetheless on the lookout for a head coach all through the month, he wasn’t paying consideration. As soon as he acquired again to city, he went proper to work getting ready for the season.
“As quickly as I got here again, recent thoughts. I had recent vitality. So I began figuring out immediately with my energy coaches. I believe we did a reasonably good job as a result of I really feel fairly good.”
Whereas Merzlikins didn’t take note of the search because it was happening, he’s an enormous fan of the brand new management on the town led by Waddell and Evason.
“Superb. I find it irresistible,” Merzlikins mentioned. “The folks right here now, they’re simply straight as much as you and that’s superior. Now we have nice workers right here now and I’m actually excited for this 12 months and am wanting ahead to it.”
A lot has been made about Merzlikins’ want to be a number-one goaltender. With Tarasov and probably Greaves not far behind, there’s no assure Merzlikins wins the competitors. Whereas he says his relationship with them is nice, he is aware of there may be competitors however they’re buddies and are keen to assist push one another for the perfect consequence potential. Does he really feel strain going into the season figuring out that there’s competitors and attempting to dwell as much as his contract?
“I’ll let you know no,” Merzlikins mentioned. “I’m going to let you know, I don’t know if it’s going to come back the suitable manner or improper manner now however I don’t care. I simply wish to go on the market, have enjoyable, play hockey and benefit from the video games with the boys.”
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Whereas there was questions prior to now about how effectively Merzlikins will get alongside together with his teammates, he believes the the group is nearer than ever.
“I’m actually pleased with the locker room proper now. However undoubtedly we’re nearer and we’re going to have one another’s again. I’m fairly certain this 12 months goes to be the 12 months that we’re going to have one another’s again. I’m assured and I imagine within the locker room.”
Nothing can be given on this goaltender competitors. Merzlikins used the offseason to focus and reset. He’s again now feeling good, sturdy and able to present what he is ready to do.
Greaves Prepared for Extra
Once we final noticed Jet Greaves, he was main the Cleveland Monsters into the AHL’s Japanese Convention Finals. They misplaced a heartbreaking Recreation 7 through which the Hershey Bears received simply as soon as in regulation on their technique to a Recreation 7 win.
Like the remainder of his Monsters’ teammates, Greaves felt the immense ache from dropping the sequence within the method through which they did. However as he says, they’re some positives that may be taken from it too.
Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson mentioned after the sequence that the Monsters saved him up at evening given the best way the performed particularly after being down 3-0 within the sequence. For Greaves, this truth nonetheless makes his abdomen flip listening to it.
“I believe there’s loads of positives to have a look at from that,” Greaves mentioned. “We performed a reasonably good sequence particularly afterward. We felt like we did loads of good issues. And on the similar time, that makes my abdomen flip a bit of bit figuring out we didn’t win and so they did on the finish of the day. They had been higher when it mattered. I believe it simply makes you extra hungry to subsequent time you might be in that scenario the place ever it’s, be sure you win as a result of it’s a troublesome factor to look again on.”
Greaves is in an attention-grabbing place now due to his nice playoff run with the Monsters. Assuming Merzlikins and Tarasov are your 1-2, Greaves is only one scenario away from being within the NHL. He’s assured he’s prepared if given the chance. The place does his confidence come from?
“It’s actually nearly being affected person within the day-to-day,” Greaves mentioned. “I believe typically it may be simpler to look forward or look far prematurely, however I believe it’s actually nearly preserving issues easy and what can I do at present to be the perfect I may be. And I believe trusting the experiences that I’ve had and actually simply studying what makes me profitable and issues that I can depend on in my basis of who I’m as a participant and as an individual. I believe simply counting on these issues and trusting that if I do these to the perfect of my means, issues will work out.”
If Greaves doesn’t make the Blue Jackets out of camp, he’s in line to be the Monsters number-one goalie with Zach Sawchenko next-in-line. His playoff efficiency turned some heads. Ought to something occur on the prime of the present pecking order, Greaves is able to be the beneficiary.
Greaves Shares Nice Gaudreau Story
The Gaudreau story is on the forefront in Columbus. With how gamers course of issues in a different way and on totally different timeframes, not everyone seems to be keen to talk on the file about Gaudreau but. That’s fully comprehensible.
Greaves was keen to share an excellent story about what made Johnny so particular.
“For me, it’s loopy. I used to be rising up when he was enjoying in Calgary,” Greaves mentioned. “He was Johnny Hockey. Rising up, such a famous person of the sport, like a bigger than life particular person. We talked about this with among the youthful guys. You come right here and then you definitely meet him. He’s simply so all the way down to earth. He’s such an excellent man to be round. It was nearly surreal. You develop up watching this man after which he’s such a traditional, humble man. So I believe that was the best factor simply seeing what he was about and all people’s been saying how a lot he cared about his household.”
“After which I believe simply the love he had for the sport. I bear in mind simply him and (Sean Kuraly) having scoring competitions in apply and entering into it like that. That was all simply a lot enjoyable. I acquired Kurls yelling at me to cease the subsequent one and I acquired Johnny yelling at me to cease Kurls. That’s one thing I’ll all the time bear in mind. I’m simply tremendous grateful to have met him and been round him.”
Whether or not it was the Philadelphia Eagles, a recreation of cornhole, scoring competitions after apply or actually something that may very well be wagered on, Johnny was in the course of it simply having enjoyable with these he knew finest.
Aspect Dishes
- The Blue Jackets ended every apply with fairly the shootout drill. Every participant acquired to shoot on a goalie. The group needed to raise their stick within the air in the event that they thought they’d rating. If not, they’d preserve their stick down. Loser needed to take a down and again lap. Right here’s Evason on that drill: “It’s really loads of enjoyable. It’s enjoyable as coaches to give you stuff like that. That drill particularly offers a group side but you’re engaged on shootouts.”
- Evason additionally mentioned Saturday that the coaches will present a video package deal to the group of the brand new guidelines earlier than Recreation 1. This features a coach’s means to problem a puck over the glass. Evason likes the change: “You’re similar to, why within the final couple of years, clearly all coaches are going how come we are able to’t problem that? We must always have the ability to as a result of it’s so quick. It occurs so fast.” Whereas they’ll problem, they higher be proper. A improper problem leads to a full two-minute 5-on-3 towards.
- Ivan Provorov is getting into the ultimate 12 months of his present contract. He admitted it’s behind his thoughts particularly with new management in place. “I believe attempting to come back in with the (finest) method, management what I can management and go on the market and attempt to do my finest with each alternative I get.”
- Provorov believes he can profit from what Evason is bringing to the group. “To date, it’s been nice. The primary three days of camp have been robust practices however I believe we’ve touched on loads of issues. I believe it’s been arduous and sensible. These first three days have been actually good.”
- Provorov says that Drake is “particularly wanting ahead to the season.” His toy depend is in an excellent place today.
- Sunday is scrimmage day at camp. It’s going to happen at 12:15 P.M. on the Ice Haus. The group will maintain a apply within the morning earlier than that. Tim Horton’s will present meals to those that attend. The primary 1,000 followers will get a T-shirt. Admission is free. Then come Monday, the preseason will begin with a recreation towards the Buffalo Sabres.
