Merzlikins comes to terms on lucrative contract extension with Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets appear to have made a decision on their future in goal with Tuesday's announcement that they have locked up Latvian netminder Elvis Merzlikins on a multi-year deal.

Merzlikins, 27, signed a 5-year, $27M deal with the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, which carries a $5.4M AAV - slightly less than Igor Shesterkin signed for in New York ($5.66M AAV) earlier this offseason. Merzlikins' new deal will come into effect in 2022-23. He has one year remaining on his current deal, which carries a $4M cap hit.

A native of Riga, Latvia, Merzlikins has yet to establish himself as a bonafide number one goaltender in the National Hockey League, carrying a large workload - but his career stats are very encouraging.

In 61 career starts during his first two NHL seasons, Merzlikins boasts a respectable 2.54 GAA to go along with a .920 SV% and a 21-21-13 record on a very pedestrian Columbus Blue Jackets team.

Merzlikins was a 3rd-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets (76th overall) back in 2014.

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