NHL Rumors: The Columbus Blue Jackets and their situation with Elvis Merzlikins

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on the 32 Ideas: The Podcast – Stay from Victoria, It’s 32 Ideas! episode on the Columbus Blue Jackets and their goaltending state of affairs.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Marek: “Let’s get into goaltenders. Friday, March eighth is commerce deadline.

Friedman: “Yeah.

Marek: “And the goalie markets sizzling. And by the way in which, Spencer Martin is on waivers (claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes after the podcast was recorded). So Jet Greaves is a reasonably large prospect for them in web and that enjoying within the American Hockey League proper now. Does his efficiency make it simpler for that staff to place somebody like Spencer Martin on waivers?”

Friedman: “I feel so. But additionally like this complete Elvis state of affairs that blew up. Like Merzlikins admitted he requested for a commerce. I don’t suppose that was an enormous shock to anyone within the league. I feel everyone knew that Merzlikins was already accessible. However now when you’re like, to me, the only factor is there’s Merzlikins performs nice, they usually, they bury no matter’s occurring right here they usually simply say we’re going to proceed the w ay it’s going.

Merzlikins could be very arduous to commerce. He’s bought three extra years of $5.4 million they usually’re. One of many nice issues I’ve discovered in hockey is, there’s two methods to assault one thing. You both resolve your downside, otherwise you otherwise you commerce your downside. And the best factor at all times to do is resolve your downside. As a result of buying and selling your downside is tough. You’re dealing from a place of weak point. You’re placing your self in a greater spot to lose the commerce.

To me, the so wise factor is Merzlikins performs nicely and Columbus and him, they work it out. And I don’t know if that’s going to occur. However that’s the higher resolution for me for Columbus. And sitting him out and never enjoying him like they have been earlier than, that’s not going to resolve your downside.

Now, the one factor about Merzlikins, it’s been actually powerful, and these are the damaging locations for me to go as a result of I’m not there and other people take offense to this type of stuff and I perceive why. I feel there’s one thing occurring in there.

Like Merzlikins, we had an interview with him. It’s the most effective interviews that we ever did. He’s a fiery man. He’s a aggressive man, and I feel it wore, when it wasn’t going nicely, it wore on a few of Columbus’s gamers. Now that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t repair that downside. However I do suppose that was a part of the problem right here.

So I feel with Martin a part of the problem is you’ve bought to get Merzlikins to play and in case you have three goalies there, you’re not fixing anybody’s downside.”

Marek: “I ponder if it was him barking about being quantity three.”

Friedman: “Properly, I…”

Marek: “That was a giant, that was a giant a part of the, why I requested for a commerce.”

Friedman: Properly, if I bought a 3rd podcaster and made you sit off the aspect, would you be pleased?”

Marek: “It wouldn’t shock me.”

Friedman: “Do you suppose the viewers would love it higher?”

Marek: “In all probability.”