The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a rocky start, going 6-5-3 through their first 14 games. Not only have they struggled on the ice, but they’ve also been swirling in controversy since the start of the year. After trading Pierre-Luc Dubois, benching Patrik Laine, and watching Mikko Koivu retire just a few weeks into the season, the Blue Jackets are due for some good news.
Perhaps they got it today when Elvis Merzlikins was activated off injured reserve. The 26-year-old goaltender, who finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting as a rookie last season, last played on February 2 in a relief role, before suffering an upper-body injury in practice. Joonas Korpisalo, his tandem partner, hasn’t been playing up to his high standard this season and has just a .901 save percentage through nine appearances.
If there was anything that stood out about the 2019-20 Blue Jackets, it was their excellent tandem, who posted outstanding results regardless of who was in the net. In the postseason, they combined for a .942 save percentage in ten games, winning a qualification round against the Toronto Maple Leafs and even stealing a game from the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Getting Merzlikins back should help to right the ship in Columbus whenever he gets back into the crease, as even his early-season results were much better than Korpisalo’s.
this team is headed for disaster if Torts cant learn how to tolerate players. Seems to get loads out of teams with little talent but cant go far if your entire team hates you.
Torts is great at getting the most out of hard working average “system” guys but always alienates stars. Unfortunately you kind of need both to have a healthy locker room and long playoff runs.
Stop with the lazy “Torts is a meanie” narrative. You aren’t in the room and probably aren’t even in Columbus. Most players here love playing for him and many former players do as well.
Agreed. This day in age everyone blames someone else for everyone’s problems.
I like Laine. The dude showed no hustle then apparently mouthed off to coaches… I don’t understand what media and fans want the coach to do, just let that slide?
Khudobin got benched for being late to practice. Not the end of the world. Rads has been benched a few times in the last couple of seasons. Sports involves accountability and sometime consequences. I’d say letting crap slide hurts t least half the teams morale versus one guy having to own his mistake.
I went on a Stars tangent without explaining… basically guys are held responsible here for the most part and it’s usually looked at positively.
I’ve never understood the hate for torts.
then why does he always have friction with stars like PLD and Laine, and didnt exactly encourage most of the rentals they traded for over the years to come back?
PLD is probably my 5th favorite player in hockey… That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have flaws. Did you watch many of the games before being benched? He completely checked out. You can’t preach hard nose responsible hockey then let a guy blatantly lack effort.
You’ve got a handful of stars and upper end guys. Then you’ve got your 3rd pairings, your bottom six etc. How can you expect those guys to buy into a system and put in the effort in all 3 zones then let your stars do whatever they want without benching them?
What is going on in that photo?
It’s a picture of Elvis’s post game win routine. He skates over to the Captain Foligno and jumps into his arms. It’s both cute and impressive on Foligno’s part.
That’s how he landed on IR
And my favorite photo to use on any Merzlikins article.