Win and everything will sort itself out.
It's no secret that it's a playoff-or-bust mentality inside the halls of Nationwide Arena this season.
"Stanley Cups are expectation," head coach Dean Evason said during last week's annual Blue Jackets Media Luncheon at the outset of training camp. "That's what we want. We have to make steps in order to get there.
"Our expectations are to have a great season, make the playoffs, win the first round, and then move forward."
The Blue Jackets hope for more of what they got from their record-setting offense that set a franchise record with 267 goals and a litany of talent that continues to take leaps in their development.
Aside from new lineup wrinkles during training camp and preseason that could carry over to the regular season, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect among the top six and how the defensive pairings will shake out.
The main question is the one we've been asking and bringing up for a while: how will the goaltending duo fare?
The Jackets surprised many last season as they fell within two points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Amid their best scoring run in franchise history as they stayed afloat in the wild-card race, a tough March, however, was basically their undoing when they lost six straight and eight of nine.
Still, Columbus kept hope alive in April when they ripped off six straight wins to close out the season. Jet Greaves was a catalyst for the run, starting and winning the final five games.
"I'm not worried about Jet," Merzlikins said when asked about being the No. 1 goaltender for the club via Aaron Portzline's piece in The Athletic.
I’m trying take practice after practice, game after game, and we’ll see what’s going to happen. I don’t feel any danger (of losing my role) or anything. We’re going to go out together and try to win the games here.
My only question to you is, do you think Jet is going to handle 60 games? With all of the back-to-backs? Fifty to 60 games, you think Jet is going to handle that right away? First year? I’m just telling you, it’s hard.
I’m not focused on if I’m going to be the No. 1 or not. The decision is not going to be up to me. It’s going to be up to the coaches. Obviously, I’m going to accept any decision they’re going to make, but right now … on the first day (of camp), you’re asking me if I feel danger (that I’m) not going to be No. 1. We haven’t played any games yet. We’ve had one practice. In my opinion, this question — right now, in this moment — is inappropriate.
| 2024-25 | GP | GS | W | L | OT | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 52 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 3.18 | .902 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | GP | GS | W | L | OT | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1.91 | .938 | 2 |
The Blue Jackets are in the middle of four games in four days as they kicked off Sunday's preseason with a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. The Jackets lost to Buffalo 4-0 on Monday and 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Columbus will play 15 back-to-back games this season, giving ample opportunity for both goalies to get their share of playing time. The Blue Jackets were a franchise-worst 2-10 in the second game of back-to-backs last season. Barring anything drastic, the goaltending duo will be Merzlikins and Greaves in one way or another, and the one who plays well will garner more of the starts. Even if it's still as close to a 50-50 timeshare.
It's not like the old days, where one goaltender makes 65-70 starts and the backup might play 10 games. Remember when Kevin Weekes was Henrik Lundqvist's backup with the New York Rangers in 2006-07 and then Martin Brodeur's backup with the New Jersey Devils in 2007-08?
Both Merzlikins and Greaves played in Monday's loss, in which Merzlikins allowed two goals on 10 shots and Greaves stopped 23 of 24 shots.
Ivan Fedotov, acquired by trade on Sept. 14, will be the insurance option in Cleveland and is capable of stepping up in the event of injury. Evason and the front office likely have their ideas of what the opening night lineup will look like and how the roster will round out, but the coach isn't tipping his hand.
"I can see every guy that's in camp earning a key role on our team," Evason said after last Saturday's open practice. "If they deserve to play for the Blue Jackets and they do the right thing, then they'll play."
During Monday's preseason game between the Blue Jackets and Sabres, Blue Jackets goaltending coach Nic Backstrom stopped by the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast booth with Steve Mears and Jody Shelley to answer questions about the Columbus netminders, such as Merzlikins' mindset of this being a goalie competition with Greaves.
“I think every player on our team…it’s a competition about your spot,” Backstrom said. “Sooner or later, someone is going to grab it, and you’re going to be out of the league, so you want to show up every day and prove you belong here.
"It’s a privilege to be in the NHL and something you can’t take for granted. You have to work for it every day.”
What is the importance of preseason games for goalies?
“I feel the games are really important,” Backstrom said. “You can only work on that many things when you’re by yourself or with your goalie coach. Traffic is the main thing. It’s hard to work into practice. It’s easy for the guys to get hurt when you have traffic in front of you and taking slap shots.
"You need game-like situations to see pucks through traffic, but to get the timing and the rhythm to their game.”
What’s the book on Fedotov?
“Great kid,” Backstrom said. “It’s been a little adjustment for him to come over to the NHL, to North American style of hockey without a training camp when he first came over. But like everyone sees, a big kid, really big goalie. Great work ethic. Really good guy to work with. There’s a lot of talent, a lot of upside with him.
“Really happy with his camp so far.”
The Blue Jackets play their fourth preseason game in as many days on Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena, when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.
