Apr 15, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Blue Jackets Make Surprising Choice in Goal for Season Opener

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 9:20 AM ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Nashville Predators in their season opener. As the Blue Jackets try to take the next step and return to the postseason, the team is going in a different and surprising direction in goal.

Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason confirmed that 24-year-old netminder Jet Greaves will start the season opener against the Predators. The news comes as a bit of a shock, as the expected starter Elvis Merzlikins, who played 53 games for the organization last season, was projected to be the main man in between the pipes. Evason confirmed his season opening-starter on a recent appearance on 97.1 The Fan radio in Columbus.

The Future Starts Now?

The move may be surprising, but it’s a decisive shift towards the future of the position. Greaves played in 11 NHL contests last season, but his final five games were what began to fuel discussions that he could be ready for more.

He ended the 2024-2025 campaign with five consecutive victories. In those wins, he allowed more than one goal in a game a single time. That contest he allowed two goals on 41 shots against, and in the remaining four games, he allowed one goal twice and recorded two shutouts. The flaming-hot run pushed his 2024-2025 NHL season totals to a 7-2-2 record with a 1.91 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. Combine that with 21 wins and a .920 save percentage in 40 AHL starts, and Greaves took the next step and showed that he needed to graduate full-time to the NHL.

And he continued showing those signs of growth as this new year kicks off. In training camp and the preseason, he’s been outstanding. He’s been so good, that Evason had no choice but to name him the season opening starter against the Preds.

Undrafted to No. 1

The journey for Greaves is even more impressive once you learn that he entered the league as an undrafted free agent. After a few years playing junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he made his professional debut in the ECHL during the 2021-2022 season. After a strong showing in the developmental league, the Blue Jackets signed him to a professional contract when the season concluded.

Over the past few seasons, he’s continued climbing the organizational depth chart. First it was assuming the top role in the AHL, then it was receiving spot starts at the NHL level, and now he’s in line to play between 25 and 40 games in his first full NHL season. It’s an incredible journey of progress for Greaves, and it takes the next step with the season-opening contest against Nashville.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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