Goaltender prospect Evan Gardner has signed his entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets, per a team release. It’s a three-year deal that begins next season.
The 19-year-old netminder has spent this season with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, from where he was drafted in the second round by Columbus last year. The 6’1″, 176-lb goalie has a 2.83 GAA, .911 SV%, three shutouts, and a 22-12-4 record in 41 games for the Blades.
It’s a step down from what Gardner flashed in 2023-24 when he led the WHL in GAA (1.91) and SV% (.927) in 30 appearances. He still checked in at No. 8 in the Blue Jackets’ system and first among goalies in The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s 2025 prospect pool rankings, ahead of current Columbus third-stringer Jet Greaves.
Since Gardner doesn’t turn 20 until January 2026, he’s ineligible for a full-time AHL assignment next season. He must be on the NHL roster or returned to the Blades – the latter standing as the far more likely scenario. If that’s the case and he plays fewer than 10 NHL games, his deal will slide to the 2026-27 campaign and instead expire in the 2029 offseason. Any signing bonuses owed to him for 2025-26 will still be paid out.
He officially joins a Blue Jackets organization that has its future solidified at nearly every position aside from the net. With current backup Daniil Tarasov underwhelming and set to be a restricted free agent this summer, there’s an opportunity for the aforementioned Greaves to graduate from a fringe roster role to a full-time backup job next season. Elvis Merzļikins, who’s largely struggled since his current extension with a $5.4MM cap hit came into effect in 2022-23, is having a rebound campaign with a 3.04 GAA and a 22-18-4 record in 44 starts and now seems likely to at least finish out his deal in Columbus, which runs through 2026-27.
They better sign Sergei Ivanov too.
Erm, Merzlikins isn’t doing any better than last year. He’s just facing fewer shots per 60.