The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated goaltender Elvis Merzlikins off Injured Reserve, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.
Merzlikins, 29, has missed the last three games due to an illness. He has gone 6-8-4 with a 3.10 goals-against average (GAA) and .910 save percentage (SV%) in 19 contests with the Blue Jackets this season. The 6-3, 184-pound netminder ranks fifth-T in the NHL in SV% since November 22 (min. 4 GP) with a 3-2-1 record, 2.68 GAA and .930 SV% in six appearances.
A native of Riga, Latvia, Merzlikins has posted a 61-70-26 record with a 3.13 GAA, .906 SV% and nine shutouts in 169 career games with the Blue Jackets since making his league debut in 2019-20. He was selected by Columbus in the third round, 76th overall, at the 2014 NHL Draft.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. Game time from Scotiabank Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports+ and the Bally Sports app begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
