Columbus Blue Jackets News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2024-25 Player Grades: Goaltenders

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Matthew Buhrmann | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 9:55 AM ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets gave up 267 goals in the regular season, the eighth-worst total in the NHL. While this points to defensive lapses, goaltending was also a major issue at times. The defensive core left their goalies in tough situations too often, but more consistent netminding could have made all the difference as well. With better goaltending, this team might have been able to trim the difference to make a playoff spot, despite their other struggles.

After grading the forward group and defensive core, it is now time to grade the three netminders who appeared for Columbus this season.

Elvis Merzlikins: C-

Elvis Merzlikins gets a C- for his season. At 31 years old, he was supposed to bring consistency and veteran stability to the net, but his play was up and down once again. He played a team-high 53 games, logging 3,171 minutes. Over that time, he faced 1,557 shots, made 1,389 saves, and allowed 168 goals. This gave him a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.18 and a save percentage (SV%) of .892, with a 26-21-1 record and one shutout, his best record as a Blue Jacket by a long shot.

Off the ice, Merzlikins made improvements as a leader in the locker room, which was a bright spot. He acknowledged that he’d been closed off in previous years but felt that this season’s team chemistry helped him open up more. “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. 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.”

That said, whether fans like it or not, Merzlikins will likely remain with the Blue Jackets. His contract makes it hard to move him, and general manager Don Waddell has made it clear that a buyout isn’t on the table, only a potential trade. “That’s not something we’re looking at,” Waddell said. “I can’t say how the summer’s going to play out, but as of now, we haven’t talked about it.” While he’s shown leadership growth, Merzlikins hasn’t proven he can be the number one goalie for this organization in the long term. I love the guy, but at best, he might be more suited as a backup if his play doesn’t improve to starter level.

Daniil Tarasov: D+

Daniil Tarasov earns a D+ for his performance this season. At 26 years old, he had a chance to establish himself as a key part of the goaltending tandem, but he struggled to follow up on the promise he showed last season. In 20 games, he logged 1,100 minutes, faced 544 shots, made 479 saves, and allowed 65 goals. He finished with a GAA of 3.54, a SV% of .881, and a 7-10-2 record, including one shutout.

Daniil Tarasov got his first NHL shutout in a losing effort Saturday night. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Last season, Tarasov’s numbers were more encouraging. He played 24 games in the NHL with a GAA of 3.18, a SV% of .908, and an 8-11-3 record. Even in the American Hockey League (AHL), his performance dipped. In 2023-24, he played four games for the Cleveland Monsters, posting a GAA of 2.57 and a SV% of .915. This season, he appeared in just two AHL games, finishing with a 2.96 GAA and a .908 SV%.

Tarasov is a restricted free agent (RFA) with arbitration rights, and his future feels uncertain. He was relegated to third string when Jet Greaves was called up, and it’s hard to see how he fits into the long-term plan. While he occasionally plays well, his inconsistency is a major issue. Tarasov’s performance this season cost the team critical points in the standings, and with the need to reduce his goals against, I don’t think he’s part of the solution moving forward.

Jet Greaves: A-

Greaves was a bright spot for the Blue Jackets this season, earning an A- for his play between the pipes. At 24 years old, he was called up mid-season a few times when Merzlikins was out. Although he didn’t stand out right away, Greaves made a ton of starts between Cleveland and Columbus toward the end of the season, and that’s when he really began to “take off”. Over 11 NHL games, he played 660 minutes, faced 339 shots, made 318 saves, and allowed 21 goals. He finished with a GAA of 1.91, a SV% of .938, and a 7-2-0 record with two shutouts.

Jet Greaves is ready for more after a great AHL Playoff run in 2023-24. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

What’s exciting about Greaves is how much potential he has as a young netminder. He’s got huge upside, and in my opinion, he could be “the guy” for the team next season. Right now, he’s helping Cleveland in the Calder Cup Playoffs, where he’s already off to a strong start. In two playoff games against the Toronto Marlies, he has a GAA of 2.13, a SV% of .914, with a 2-0-0 record. Greaves has shown that he’s ready for a bigger role, and it’s time to see if he can keep up that level of play over a full season. He has all the tools to solidify himself as a key part of the Blue Jackets’ future in my eyes.

The Blue Jackets’ goaltending didn’t meet expectations this season. Merzlikins struggled with consistency, Tarasov regressed, and while the defense let them down occasionally, the goaltenders didn’t do enough to make up for it. Greaves was the clear bright spot in net, and the staff would be wise to bet on him moving forward.