Edmonton Oilers linked to potential goalie trade with Blue Jackets
The Edmonton Oilers are still searching for a solution between the pipes.
It’s been a multi-year saga for the Oilers’ goaltending situation, and GM Stan Bowman is expected to make some sort of move at the position this summer. Free agency is one avenue the Oilers could go down, and there are a few intriguing names looking for new homes, but a trade feels like a better bet.
There appear to be a few more encouraging options on the trade market this offseason when it comes to goaltenders. Names like Connor Hellebuyck, Jordan Binnington, Samuel Montembeault, and Elvis Merzlikins have all been floated out there in trade rumours early into the summer.
Edmonton likely doesn’t have the assets to pull off a Hellebuyck move, so Bowman will likely have to take a swing at someone on that lower level.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli was asked on Monday’s edition of OilersNow to give his best guess on who the Oilers would acquire over the next few days, and he gave one of those names.
“My best guess would be in net, Elvis Merzlikins,” Seravalli told Bob Stauffer. “I don’t know exactly how it’s going to play out… I don’t know if it’s definitely going to be Edmonton, all I can say is that he is not going to be tending goal for the Columbus Blue Jackets next year.”
Merzlikins being linked to Edmonton is not likely to excite many Oilers fans who are hoping the team can finally put an end to all the goaltending questions.
The team is entering what may be one of the most important seasons in franchise history as they try to convince Connor McDavid to sign long-term in the Alberta capital. So far, they’ve set up that season by hiring controversial head coach Mike Babcock and are now being linked to a shaky, at best, goaltender.
Merzlikins once looked like the goalie of the future for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but has fallen out of favour over the past few seasons. The 32-year-old Latvian netminder has put up save percentages of .883, .892, and .897 over the past three seasons.
Just last year, he posted a 14-11-3 record with a dismal goals-saved above-expected of -7.3. He was vastly outplayed by Jet Greaves, and it’s expected that the youngster will take over the starting duties in Columbus next season.
On top of all those disappointing statistics, Merzlikins also doesn’t come cheap, with a $5.4 million cap hit that runs through next season. The only saving grace for that contract is that he is entering the final year of the deal.
Even with retention, this type of move doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Oilers. They already have an expensive, shaky goaltender locked in with Tristan Jarry. Adding Merzlikins into the fold would lock them into a tandem without much room to make changes if the season goes sideways.
Going after a cheaper, more encouraging option like Daniil Tarasov or even bringing back Connor Ingram would likely be a better bet if they can’t find a more impactful goaltender.
Bowman can’t afford to bungle another goalie trade, and there doesn’t seem to be a surefire way not to do that with a Merzlikins deal.