The Columbus Blue Jackets have themselves in one of the best problems in all of hockey, but it can also be one of the worst. Their goaltending depth gives them so many options in any game, that they players in front of them can just focus on their game and systems. There’s the expiring two: Jean-Francois Berube and Joonas Korpisalo; and there is the retainers two: Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov.
Daniil Tarasov is the youngest and has the brightest future out of anyone of the backstoppers in the organization, despite his season ending injury back in January. Tarasov was 0-2-0 with a 2.40 GAA and a 0.937 save percentage. Tarasov was a third round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the same draft as Alexandre Texier. The Russian netminder stands at 6’ 6… and is only 23 years of age. In the seasons prior to his draft, he had a 0.918 save percentage or higher in every league he was in, whether it was against his peers or adults. After his draft, his numbers were strong in his own country, but were lower in other leagues, including the Finnish league and with the Cleveland Monsters. Even though he is a pending RFA, the Jackets hold onto his rights, but there’s always the known route of Russia for Russian born players.
Elvis Merzlikins is finishing up the final season of a two-year, $8M dollar contract; however, he begins a five-year contract starting next season, with a cap hit of $5.4M per season. That gives him a $1.4M dollar pay raise from 2022 to 2023. Merzi has a 25-20-6 record with a 3.32 GAA and a 0.905 save percentage. In 114 career NHL games, the Latvian netminder has a 46-41-19 record with a 2.91 GAA and a 0.912 save percentage. His save percentage has him around current league average, while he lacks the games to build the strongest resume. The 76th pick from the 2014 draft had to compete and earn the number one position in Columbus, as he joined the club the season after Sergei Bobrovsky darted to Florida for greener pastures. His inaugural season helped extend Columbus’ playoff streak to 5 seasons, and got him the pay raise in 2020. Just turning 28 one week ago, April 13, he will be under contract until he is 33, at the tail end of his prime years.
Joonas Korpisalo has had his worst NHL regular season numbers, with a 7-11-0 record in 22 starts, with a stunning 4.15 GAA and a 0.877 save percentage. The first pick in the third round of the 2012 NHL draft, former Jackets’ general manager and current AHL commissioner Scott Howson struck gold with the Finnish born goaltender. Korpisalo was part of the tandem with Anton Forsberg that helped the Lake Erie Monsters win the Calder Cup over the Hershey Bears in 2016. Korpisalo has been the backup behind Sergei Bobrovsky before his signing with Florida, and was the starting goalie in the 5OT game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when they upset them in their first playoff series win (April 16, 2019). Korpisalo is part of Columbus history, and as an expiring deal, he could continue.
Jean-Francois Berube joined the team as a walk-on this preseason, and won his first NHL regular season game since he was a Chicago Blackhawk over 1,000 days ago. Berube is a journeyman, spending time with the LA Kings, NY Islanders, NY Rangers (Hartford Wolf Pack), Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers. JFB has a 3-2-0 record with a 3.61 GAA and a 0.910 save percentage with Columbus in 5 games this season. Berube is currently making league minimum, and he is showing to be an NHL caliber goalie with the right team and system, with stealing wins from teams in this current high scoring climate.
Merzlikins is locked in for 5 years after this one; Tarasov is a pending RFA at season’s end; Korpisalo is a pending UFA after making $2.8M on his contract; Berube is a pending UFA making league minimum. You’re the GM. You got 4 goalies that have played NHL games between the ages of 23 and 30. Who stays, who goes, or who joins?