Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: Goaltending overhaul is a must-do this summer

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:

Item No. 1: Net dilemma

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has major work ahead of him this summer. The defense needs a makeover, especially if veteran Ivan Provorov departs as a free agent. The goaltending needs an overhaul, but that might be easier wished for than executed.

Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has played better than he did last season, and he was better last season than he was in 2022-23. But better does not mean good enough, and it’s fair to say that Merzlikins has not been anywhere close to good enough again this season.

Among the 47 goaltenders who have appeared in more than 25 NHL games, Merzlikins is ranked 42nd with an .890 save percentage and 44th with a 3.24 goals-against average.

A deeper dive analytically shows, according to MoneyPuck, that Merzlikins has been the fourth-worst goaltender in the league in goals-above expected, a figure that measures how many goals a goaltender has actually prevented vs. how many they’d be expected to prevent based on the quality of shots they’ve faced.

Yes, it’s a subjective figure, but it’s consistently subjective from player to player. And Merzlikins’ minus-10.6 goals is ahead of only Detroit’s Petr Mrazek (minus-14.0), San Jose’s Alexandar Georgiev (minus-19.1), and Philadelphia’s Samuel Ersson (minus-21.3).

By all accounts, Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason has done a masterful job steering the Blue Jackets this season, such that he’ll likely get votes for the Jack Adams Award.

But one of the enduring mysteries is how much faith he’s put in Merzlikins, and, perhaps more, how little faith he’s shown in backup Danill Tarasov and AHL Cleveland’s Jet Greaves, who, in spot duty, has performed better than Merzlikins or Tarasov this season.

It was particularly surprising to see Merzlikins back in the net on Saturday after he was pulled following a stick-bashing tirade in the third period of an ugly loss to Colorado on Thursday. Evason has made it clear that he despises those outward shows of anger.

When asked if Merzlikins was pulled for the seven goals he allowed or the stick he destroyed, Evason paused and said. “A little of both.”

So what can be done? It’s probably too late to salvage this season — the Blue Jackets were six points out of a playoff spot with seven games to play heading into Sunday’s matchup with Ottawa — but just imagine how much better the Blue Jackets would be if they had reliable goaltending.

When Waddell took the job last spring, he was blunt in his assessment, saying that Merzlikins — because of his massive contract and massive struggles on the ice — was virtually untradeable, and the three years remaining on his contract (at $5.4 million per season) was too long to be bought out without far-reaching financial consequences.

Has any of this changed one year later?

It’s still highly doubtful that Merzlikins is tradeable. But a buyout now would extend four seasons into the future, not six, as it would have if they bought out his contract last summer.

According to PuckPedia, it would cost the Blue Jackets $1.5 million against the cap next season, $2.8 million in 2026-27 and $1.63 million the following two years. That’s not an unwieldy amount.

The other issue: who would replace Merzlikins as the starter?

Waddell and Evason clearly aren’t impressed with Tarasov, who has made only 13 starts (none of them successive) since Oct. 27. He’s actually played pretty well over his last six outings (five starts), putting up a .914 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against average since Jan. 30.

Greaves has played well in almost every opportunity at the NHL, and he’s been hot in the AHL lately. Over his last 11 starts, dating to Feb. 15, he has a .954 save percentage for AHL Cleveland, but he’s been recalled for only one start in that span.

Per the two-year contract signed by Greaves last summer, he has a one-way NHL deal for next season, meaning he’ll make his NHL salary ($812,500) no matter if he plays in Columbus or Cleveland. After four seasons in the AHL, if Greaves isn’t NHL-ready — he has sure looked it — he may never be.

One challenge Waddell will face is a thin free-agent market for goaltenders this summer. Among the top names available, assuming they don’t sign contract extensions first, are New Jersey’s Jake Allen, Calgary’s Dan Vladar, Vegas’ Ilya Samsonov and Carolina’s Freddie Anderson.

Item No. 2: Front-row seat

On July 12, 2023, Kenny McCudden resigned as a Blue Jackets assistant coach less than two weeks after the club announced the controversial hiring of Mike Babcock. For many, McCudden’s abrupt departure served as a harbinger of the blowup to come with Babcock.

McCudden had been with the Blue Jackets for eight seasons. It didn’t take long for other NHL clubs to step forward with offers.

“One of the biggest reasons I chose Washington was to be a part of history, and to be able to possibly see this happen,” McCudden told The Athletic. “And here we are.”

McCudden has had a front-row seat to hockey history, as Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin sat tied with Wayne Gretzky for the NHL goal-scoring record (894) heading into Sunday, when the Capitals played at the New York Islanders.

Nobody would appreciate the view more, either. McCudden is, quite obviously, a student of the game, but he’s also passionate about hockey history, with a collection of antique skates and enough memorabilia to fill a wing of a museum.

This is McCudden’s second season with the Capitals, and he and Ovechkin grew closer this season when Ovechkin was working his way back from a broken fibula. McCudden, the Caps’ skills coach, took the ice with him most mornings as he was nearing a return.

“To be part of those skates, and to be feeding him pucks while he’s working to get back and working on his shot … I felt like I was throwing batting practice to Hank Aaron,” McCudden said.

“For a guy of his talent level and his accomplishments, he’s incredibly receptive to coaching. He tells me what he wants to work on, and then I draw up the drills for him — the ones I think will get him ready — and he says, ‘No problem, my man.’”

McCudden said Ovechkin was one of the Washington players, along with T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and others, who made him feel welcomed in Washington D.C.

“They were terrific with me, starting with Ovie,” McCudden said. “He’s all ears. He trusts you. He’s a player who really relies on the medical staff and the coaching staff to get him through the day and prepared to play.”

McCudden said he’ll often pull up near Ovechkin during practice an marvel at his shot while he’s blasting one-timers — scores of them daily — at the end of every practice. The only player he’s coached with such a powerful shot, he said, was Patrik Laine when they were together in Columbus.

“He’s a bull of an athlete,” McCudden said. “When you see his back, his legs … he’s a bull. He’s one of a kind, really. We’re all seeing the goals, and they’re amazing. But the complete picture of his game … I don’t think we’ve seen the likes of No. 8 before, and we won’t after, either.”

Last week, as Ovechkin was drawing nearer to Gretzky’s record, he asked McCudden to go on the ice with him before the scheduled Capitals’ practice to get some more “touches.” Think of that: a player nearing 900 career goals doing early, extra work.

McCudden arranged for other young players to join so they could run more elaborate drills that simulated traffic and obstacles. He’s now scored in four straight games, including a two-goal performance vs. the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday that pulled Ovechkin into a tie with Gretzky.

“I was talking to one of our younger players (Ethen Frank) during that practice, and I said, ‘Ethen, do we have stories to tell when our days are over?’” McCudden said. “And Ethen said, ‘Kenny, I know. I’ll never forget this.’

“Some day, when I’m 85 yeas old, I’ll be having a beer and a shot on a rail somewhere and I’ll be able to tell an Ovi story or two, right? Something like this, it just doesn’t come around for too many coaches. I’m aware and appreciative of that.”

Item No. 3: Take 5, Josh Flynn

Take 5 is a quick, breezy sitdown with a Blue Jackets player, coach or front-office staffer. This week’s features assistant general manager and salary cap expert Josh Flynn.

You’re a foodie. Favorite spots in Columbus?

I’ve got a few for you. Our fancy, special occasion spot is Veritas. Love the creativity of the tasting menu. We maybe go there three times a year. Our more regular nice place is Cento in German Village. When we sneak away without the baby we’ll go to Hyde Park (in Upper Arlington) and share a steak at the bar. Very cozy vibe. Our favorite lunch/brunch place is Northstar Cafe.

In what part of town did you settle?

Upper Arlington. We’ve been there since 2017. I used to live right by the rink when I was single. Upper Arlington is a great location. It’s like 10 minutes from the rink and downtown, 10 minutes, maybe, to (the Ohio State University’s) campus, 10 minutes from Dublin. Plus it’s got a nice character feel to it. All of the houses are different, the old trees…

Favorite road city?

They’re all Canadian. Vancouver is No. 1. Montreal is great, Toronto is great. I love Toronto because it’s home. I’ve never missed a Toronto-Columbus game in the 17 years since I’ve been here. It’s always great getting back there. It’s really no different for us (management) than it is for the players. The players always have a little more juice in Toronto, and those of us off the ice love it, too. All of our family and friends are watching, so that’s great. Toronto’s No. 1 with an asterisk because it’s home. Vancouver is No. 1 otherwise.

Besides the NHL, what’s your favorite spot?

Probably the NFL. It’s usually on during our off days. It’s a short season, with lots of games where the stakes are high. Plus, you don’t have to make a big investment time wise. I love baseball. I love the Blue Jackets. But it’s 162 games a year. I can find time to watch 17 Miami Dolphins games a year.

Best concert you’ve attended?

There’s some recency bias with this one. I went to the Soulshine benefit concert in New York (Madison Square Garden) last November. It was Dave Matthews Band, which is probably my all-time favorite. I’ve seen them over 100 times. Goose, which is one of my favorite new bands, was there, along with Warren Haynes, Trey Anastasio, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph … all these great musicians on one stage, and they played a four-hour concert. Dave Matthews at Red Rocks (in Morrison, Colo., outside Denver) a long time ago was incredible. They played four nights when I was in Denver for law school. I saw all four nights. One more, an honorable mention: Taylor Swift, the Eras Tour.

Item No. 4: Snacks

• Merzlikins and veteran defenseman Erik Gudbranson could be seen barking at each other during play early in the third period on Saturday. It started between the time Toronto’s William Nylander scored to make it 3-0 (at 1:11 of the period) and when he scored again to make it 4-0 (at 4:21), and it spilled over to the bench area during a TV timeout a few minutes later. That’s what Evason was likely referring to when he said the Blue Jackets started “finger-pointing” during the loss. Gudbranson was asked post-game by reporters in Toronto about the challenge of staying united, even as the season slips away. “We’re the same team from when it was going well and the same team now,” Gudbranson said. “It’s a great group of guys and a lot of character in this room. We’re working toward a goal and sometimes you have disagreements, but we all love each other in here.”

• Can you figure out this Blue Jackets team? Can anybody? The Blue Jackets have scored six or more goals in 14 games this season, not only the most in franchise history but tops in the entire NHL this season. (Washington has done it 13 times.) This same Blue Jackets club has also been shutout eight times, tied for second-most in the league. (Nashville has been blanked 10 times.)

• Heading into Sunday’s game in Ottawa, the Blue Jackets had allowed 10 unanswered goals — the final five in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to Colorado and then five more in Saturday’s 5-0 loss in Toronto. It matches a season high for consecutive goals allowed — the Jackets also allowed 10 straight from March 13-17 — and it’s closer to a franchise mark than you might expect. According to the NHL, the Blue Jackets once allowed 14 unanswered goals from Feb. 18-23, 2003.

• Kirill Marchenko’s hat trick last Tuesday vs. Nashville gave him 75 career goals, tied with Geoff Sanderson for the second-most of any player in his first three seasons with the Blue Jackets. Only Rick Nash (89) scored more. Marchenko, who now has 31 goals this season, has seven more games to add to his total.

• Who was the opponent when Ovechkin made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, in what was then called MCI Center? It was the Blue Jackets, who led 1-0 and 2-1 before losing 3-2. Ovechkin scored two goals in his debut. His first was scored against goaltender Pascal Leclaire at 7:21 of the second period. Others on the ice for the Jackets for No. 8’s No. 1: forwards Jan Hrdina, Rick Nash and David Vyborny, and defensemen Francois Beauchemin and Luke Richardson. (Also of note: 20-year-old Blue Jackets forward Dan Fritsche matched Ovechkin, on that night anyway, with two goals.)

• Ovechkin spoke openly on the morning of his debut about wanting to score on his first NHL shift. Well, he didn’t score, but he did stop the game. Only 37 seconds into the game, Ovechkin blasted Blue Jackets defenseman Radoslav Suchy so hard against the end boards in the Jackets’ zone that it bent the supports between the seamless glass, requiring the rink crew to fix it.

• Who was on the bench that night for Washington as a first-year assistant coach? Evason, who, after six years coaching in the Western Hockey League (Kamloops, Vancouver and Calgary) made the leap to the NHL. He spent seven seasons with the Caps, working closely with Ovechkin. “I was fortunate to be there for the first game that he played (in the NHL),” Evason said. “For (seven) years, I watched him conduct himself, not only as a hockey player but as a person and a teammate. The entire hockey world is excited about what he’s doing. To have an inside look at what he did, it was pretty special.”

• Zach Aston-Reese had gone 57 games without a goal before he scored in the second period of Thursday’s 7-3 loss to Avs. Aston-Reese was in a scrum of players along the left sideboards, just above the goal line, when he fired a wrister out of the crowd, catching Colorado goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood by surprise. It was Aston-Reese’s first goal since he scored vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 and his first since he signed a one-year extension in mid-January. His previous long, a 34-game drought, came in 2021-22 season when the played for the Penguins.

• This week’s Sunday Gathering trivia question: Blue Jackets rookie Jack Williams was given a few options for a sweater number, and he chose No. 29, becoming the 13th player to wear the number. Only No. 23, currently worn by Sean Monahan, has been issued more times (15). Which is the lowest number — zero is not an option, as the NHL won’t allow it to be worn — that has never been worn by a Blue Jackets player in a regular-season game?

• Pretty strong pro debut on Friday by defenseman Guillaume Richard, who signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets last week and joined AHL Cleveland. He scored a goal (on his first pro shot on goal) and added an assist in a 7-1 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Richard, a fourth-round pick (No. 101 overall) in 2021, spent four seasons at Providence College, ending with a regional loss to Denver.

• The AHL can be quite an adjustment for young players. Gavin Brindley, the Blue Jackets’ second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in 2023, endured a 22-game streak without a point before Saturday, when he had a goal and an assist in Cleveland’s 3-0 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Brindley, who hadn’t registered a point since Jan. 25, has 6-10-16 in 46 games this season.

• Forward Roman Ahcan had 20 goals in 146 games during his first three seasons with AHL Cleveland, and his future in the AHL looked murky. He signed a PTO to start the season with the Monsters, which a legitimate shot that he could end up in the ECHL. Instead, Ahcan has had a breakout AHL season with 18 goals in 61 games this season, including his first pro hat trick in Cleveland’s win over Wilkes-Barre Scranton on Friday.

• Trivia answer: the lowest number that’s never been worn in a Blue Jackets’ regular season game is 60. It’s one of only 12 numbers between 1 and 98 that hasn’t been issued. (No. 99, worn by Wayne Gretzky, has been retired by the league.)

(Photo of Danill Tarasov: Ben Jackson / Getty Images)





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