The Columbus Blue Jackets are in a wierd scenario concerning their goaltenders. Daniil Tarasov is meant to be their goaltender of the long run, however he hasn’t been in a position to collect any momentum towards reaching that aim up to now this season.
Elvis Merzlikins’ struggles are properly documented at this level and it’s beginning to appear clear that no matter what the group does, they’re not going to have the ability to depend on him constantly transferring ahead. It appears the ship has sailed for him to revert to the goalie we noticed in his first two seasons on the NHL stage.
The Blue Jackets began off sizzling this season, then shortly fell down the standings. Now, it appears they’re on a little bit of a rebound but when they will’t belief their goaltenders, it might all crumble as soon as once more. With the rising recognition of three-goaltender rotations across the NHL, it could be time for basic supervisor Don Waddell to discover that choice.
Martin Jones
As one of many few free-agent goaltenders remaining, Martin Jones is probably the most sensible choice to create a three-goalie rotation in Columbus. Whereas he wasn’t phenomenal throughout his stint with the Seattle Kraken in the course of the 2022-23 season, he massively helped hold the Toronto Maple Leafs in a playoff spot throughout a really troublesome a part of the 2023-24 season.
With Jones, it’s arduous to say precisely what the Blue Jackets would get. He might be a goaltender who maintains a save proportion (SV%) over .900, or he might hover across the .880 mark. Both method, it could be an enchancment over not less than one of many goaltenders, if not each, who’re at the moment on the roster. Added competitors might present a spark for Tarasov specifically, who wants to show his season round if he’s going to get his growth again on observe.
Anton Forsberg
Lengthy-time Blue Jackets followers will keep in mind the identify Anton Forsberg, and never for a great purpose. Regardless of being an exceptional goaltender on the American Hockey League stage with the Cleveland Monsters whereas within the Blue Jackets group, he struggled mightily when he received alternatives on the NHL stage. Since leaving Columbus, his profession has taken off a bit and he’s confirmed he’s a reputable NHL-caliber goaltender regardless that he does nonetheless have the occasional struggles.
The Ottawa Senators discover themselves fifteenth within the Japanese Convention, so it’s simple to imagine that any pending free agent will probably be out there for the correct worth. Forsberg could be becoming a member of a Blue Jackets group that’s massively completely different than the one he left following the 2016-17 season. He’s removed from an elite goaltender who will remedy all the Blue Jackets’ issues, however he might actually carry out at a better stage than both Merzlikins or Tarasov at this level.
Mackenzie Blackwood
By way of the San Jose Sharks’ struggles throughout each the 2023-24 season and up to now this season, there have been a number of gamers who’ve carried out at a excessive stage whatever the staff’s efficiency. Mackenzie Blackwood is a kind of gamers. With the Sharks, he faces a excessive quantity of photographs which causes his statistics to seem a lot worse than they really are.
Regardless of the less-than-stellar protection in entrance of him, Blackwood has managed to keep up a .909 EV% and a 3.07 goals-against common. He’s pulling himself into the dialog for Staff Canada on the 4-Nations Face-Off as properly.
With Blackwood within the closing season of his contract, buying him from the rebuilding Sharks is probably not overly troublesome. With that being stated, it might be tougher to maintain him in Columbus transferring ahead. Out of the three listed right here although, he’s the most certainly to ascertain himself as a real beginning goalie with the Blue Jackets and to affect the group for greater than a single season.
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The Blue Jackets are a staff that should discover a approach to stabilize themselves in the event that they need to overcome low expectations and stay in a playoff battle because the season progresses. Including a goaltender they might belief greater than Merzlikins and Tarasov would do wonders for the group as an entire, and will spark one among their present netminders to lastly take a step in the correct path.
