The Blue Jackets are assessing their goaltending depth after losing goalie Elvis Merzlikins to shoulder surgery for an undetermined span, but they're not rushing into anything.
Five goalies with extensive NHL experience are still available as free agents, including Matt Murray, Cam Talbot and Petr Mrazek, but Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell is taking a step back to see what else materializes in training camps that open in mid-September.
"We’ve looked at all the free agents, at what’s left out there, and we’re kicking that around," Waddell said. "We’re also looking at teams [across the league]. Every year, there’s goalies on waivers and teams that are carrying
three [NHL] goalies, and that could potentially make one available."
Merzlikins, 32, underwent surgery Aug. 17 for a shoulder injury that was initially diagnosed in Lugano, Switzerland, where he has spent the past two summers with his family.
He has one season left on a five-year deal worth an average annual value of $5.4 million, which makes him the Blue Jackets' highest-paid goalie despite Jet Greaves agreeing to a new three-year deal worth a total of $15 million on July 23 as a restricted free agent. Greaves earned the starting role last season and was considered the Blue Jackets' top goalie prior to Merzlikins' surgery.
The question now is how long Merzlikins will be out. He'll see a doctor in the first week of September, which should give the Blue Jackets a clearer picture on the length of his absence. If it's a longer-term recovery, expect Waddell to acquire another experienced goalie from the outside.
Waddell signed veteran Pheonix Copley on July 1 for AHL/NHL depth, but there's likely a need for another one with Merzlikins shelved. Don't expect any immediate additions, though.
"We dug hard into it," Waddell said. "We’re considering all our options, but we’re not ready to pull any kind of trigger or anything.”
Dispatch Blue Jackets/Crew reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Elvis Merzlikins' surgery has Columbus Blue Jackets gauging net depth
