The biggest question mark for the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into the 2025-26 season is goaltending. The question remains: who deserves the main starting spot, Jet Greaves or Elvis Merzlikins?
There was a logjam of three goaltenders earlier this offseason until the Blue Jackets traded Daniil Tarasov to the Florida Panthers for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. That pick, No. 160 overall, became Oshawa Generals center Owen Griffin, a nice pick for Columbus.
With Tarasov gone, it looks like Greaves and Merzlikins will be the goalie tandem heading into training camp.
Goaltending Must Be Better
The Blue Jackets gave up 267 goals in the 2024-25 regular season, the eighth-worst total in the NHL. While defensive lapses contributed, inconsistent goaltending was a big factor. Better netminding earlier in the season could have helped close the gap and maybe earned the team a playoff spot despite the defensive struggles.
Having a consistent goalie is very important, and Greaves showed at the end of last season that he could be that guy. Now the question is, can he do it for a full season?
If this team wants to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, the goaltending and, of course, the overall defensive game, have to be better.
I’m here to tell you Greaves deserves the starter’s role, and here’s why.
Greaves’ Unreal Run to End Last Season
Greaves was outstanding down the stretch last season, keeping the Blue Jackets in the playoff race until the very end. Early in the season, when Merzlikins was injured, Greaves was up and down but stepped up every time he was called on, especially at the end of the season.
Related: The Inspiring Journey of Jet Greaves to the NHL
Between the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Cleveland Monsters and the Blue Jackets, Greaves went 5-0-0 in just seven days late last season. That stretch included four games in five nights, an unreal stat that shows his durability and ability to perform in high-level moments.
Both of those qualities are of a future franchise goalie.
In 11 NHL games with Columbus, Greaves posted a 1.91 goals-against average (GAA) and a .938 save percentage (SV%), finishing 7-2-2.
In the AHL, he played 40 games for Cleveland with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 SV%, going 21-11-10. He also performed well in the AHL playoffs, posting a 2.67 GAA and .912 SV% in six games with a 3-3-0 record.
The numbers back it up, but the way the team rallied around him is what really stood out.
Merzlikins Can Be a Solid Backup
I like Merzlikins, but at this point, I just don’t think he’s consistent enough to be a starter. Last season, he went 26–21–5 with a 3.18 GAA and a .892 SV%. He had good stretches, but there were also way too many off nights. He can still be a solid backup goalie. He has good size, plays the puck well, and has shown flashes of being a difference-maker.
When looking back at my Blue Jackets 2024–25 grades article for goaltenders, I gave Greaves an A, Merzlikins a C-, and Tarasov a D+. That about sums up the gap we saw in performance between them last season.
Off the ice, he took on more of a leadership role this past season and made progress in the locker room. He admitted that he had been more closed off in previous seasons, but that last season’s chemistry helped open him up:
“When I came here for the start of the season, the training camp, the locker room was different. I saw the locker room was completely different. This locker room, what we have today, we have love going on there,” said Merzlikins. “And from start of season to the end of season, it got just better and better and better. Two or three years ago, I didn’t feel that, maybe it was me because I was kind of closed in, in my own world.”
Merzlikins is under contract through the 2026–27 season, but this might be his last real chance to prove himself in Columbus. I hope he does, but I think Greaves is more likely to take over. Merzlikins could end up being a mid-season trade option or even a buyout candidate next summer.
Greaves Is Calm & Smart
Greaves is calm and smart in net. He reads the play well, tracks pucks through screens, and stays composed under pressure. At 6-foot-0, he’s a bit smaller than most goalies, but he makes up for it with great positioning, anticipation, and athleticism. He can still improve his puck-handling, but he’s a smart player who understands the game well.
Dobber Prospects summed it up nicely in their offseason grade for Greaves:
“Greaves has really blossomed as a pro, leapfrogging more than a few players who were more highly-touted than him. It goes to show that at 18, you just don’t know what you’re getting in a goaltender. In fact, even judging a goalie at 21 is hit and miss. Greaves was never drafted, and he doesn’t have ideal size (just 6-0). But he’s worked his way up from anonymity in the ECHL to post improving numbers for three consecutive years. He makes up for his size with positioning and anticipation, not to mention above-average agility. He has made NHL appearances in three straight seasons, culminating in 11 games last season and boasting a 0.938 SV%. What’s more, he has been clutch, actually improving his SV% to 0.955 in the third period. Greaves’ progress makes for a great story, and given the struggles of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov, he has a good chance of sneaking onto the NHL team and stealing a job.”
When looking at these stats above, why not keep the story going with this young, determined netminder?
Greaves has played just over 20 career NHL games, so basing everything strictly on stats is a little tricky. But with Merzlikins still not figuring it out after five seasons, why not give Greaves the chance?
Greaves‘s Age & Upside Make Sense
At 24 years old, Greaves is young and has more to prove. He’s played only 21 NHL games so far, with a 10-9-2 record, 2.62 GAA, and .918 SV%. He’s logged 177 games in the AHL and has a strong track record there.
Greaves’ contract expires after this season, so this is a perfect time for him to prove he deserves to be signed again and given a bigger role. He has all the tools to succeed. His rebound control is solid; he reads plays well and stays calm under pressure. Though a bit smaller, he’s very athletic and moves well in net. His calm style helps him track pucks through screens and make timely saves.
Why not give him a full chance? The Merzlikins project hasn’t worked out the way Columbus hoped, and it’s time to see what Greaves can do as the starter. He’s younger, hungrier, and more in sync with the team’s future.
