Headlines

  • Jeff Skinner Signs With Sharks
  • Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun
  • Avalanche Sign Josh Manson To Two-Year Extension
  • Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Penguins
  • Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich To One-Year Deal
  • Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Elvis Merzlikins

April 23, 2020 at 3:03 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 11 Comments

Just that quickly, the Columbus Blue Jackets have their goaltending tandem locked up. After extending Joonas Korpisalo last week it was Elvis Merzlikins’ turn today. The Blue Jackets have announced a two-year extension for Merzlikins. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen gave an explanation:

We’ve believed for several years that Elvis Merzlikins was the best goaltender outside the NHL while he was playing in Switzerland and this year he has shown that he has the ability and drive to be a very good goaltender in this league. He is quick, athletic and driven to succeed and we are excited to see what the future holds for Elvis and our hockey club.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the deal will pay Merzlikins $3MM in 2020-21 and $5MM in 2021-22 ($4MM AAV). He will be an unrestricted free agent at its conclusion.

The Blue Jackets have now locked up their future in net, for at least the next two seasons, at a reasonable $6.8MM total. That’s still considerably less than the amount former Columbus goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky landed in free agency and with the way Merzlikins and Korpisalo performed it looks like the team may have dodged a bullet.

It’s hard to explain just how successful the 26-year old Merzlikins was in his first year with the Blue Jackets. After starring in Switzerland for several seasons he came over and almost immediately became one of the best goaltenders in the league, recording a .923 save percentage in 33 appearances, including five shutouts.

Even though Merzlikins is making more than Korpisalo, there’s no guarantee that he gets the majority of starts next season. Kekalainen told reporters that the decision will be up to the coach, meaning John Tortorella has the final say on which netminder backstops his club next year.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Columbus Blue Jackets| Newsstand Elvis Merzlikins

Follow All The Trades & Picks In Tonight’s NFL Draft With Pro Football Rumors
Main
Snapshots: Early Draft, Brome, Martin
View Comments (11)

Comments

  1. Ol' Voodoo

    5 years ago

    One of the better named tandems in history. Glad they both found some success last year.

    Reply
    • Sillysundin

      5 years ago

      In Columbus history I guess

      Reply
    • Ol' Voodoo

      5 years ago

      Not too many Elvis’ and Joonas’ where I grew up.

      Reply
    • Sillysundin

      5 years ago

      Lol sorry you said “ named “

      Reply
    • thatsdoctorsmartasstoyou

      5 years ago

      Lol no problem just read better

      Reply
  2. vegasloveforthebills

    5 years ago

    Going to be interesting at the expansion draft for Columbus again.

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      5 years ago

      these poor guys cant ever catch a break

      Reply
    • MoneyBallJustWorks

      5 years ago

      the contract is actually set up perfectly for the expansion draft. if you keep Joonas, they expose Elvis with $5 million left on a one year deal and he becomes a UFA after.

      1
      Reply
  3. ColossusOfClout

    5 years ago

    3M + 5M is 6.8M? Huh?

    Reply
    • SuperSinker

      5 years ago

      Keep trying, you’ll figure it out

      Reply
    • Modified_6

      5 years ago

      I’m not so sure he’s going to.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Jeff Skinner Signs With Sharks

    Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun

    Avalanche Sign Josh Manson To Two-Year Extension

    Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Penguins

    Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich To One-Year Deal

    Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension

    Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard

    NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year CBA Extension

    Gavin McKenna To Commit To Penn State

    Tyler Johnson Announces Retirement

    Recent

    Russia Notes: Babcock, Gallant, Tortorella, Kuznetsov, Obvintsev

    DEL’s Straubing Tigers Sign Tyler Madden

    Players With Trade Protection In 2025-26

    West Notes: Rossi, Gushchin, Skinner, McQueen

    PHR Mailbag: Maple Leafs, Miller, Byram, Tuch, Goaltending

    Blackhawks Expected To Sign Anton Frondell

    Submit Your Questions For A CBA Q&A

    Kraken Reportedly Open To Moving Jared McCann

    Morning Notes: Comtois, Kuznetsov, AHL

    Nikolai Kovalenko Signs With CSKA Moscow

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2025’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents
    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Pick Tracker 2025
    • Key Offseason Dates
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version