Construction company owner has a ball in his day as a CBJ goalie

As soon as the goalie with a black matte helmet and bright yellow pads took to the American Airlines Center ice, you knew it wouldn't be a normal morning for the Blue Jackets.
Or for Casey Sherwood, for that matter.

The 36-year-old construction company owner from Dallas filled in as the lone goalie for Columbus' morning skate ahead of the team's game tonight vs. the Stars, putting the emergency in emergency backup goaltender with both Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo unable to skate because of non-COVID illnesses.
While he won't be needed tonight -- rookie Daniil Tarasov is on his way in and seems likely make his NHL debut, with Merzlikins hoping to back up - Sherwood provided a good laugh for everyone involved. In addition, he didn't do too bad during the 30-minute team skate or the half-hour post-practice scratches' session that followed.
"I surprised myself a couple of times," Sherwood said during a post-practice meeting with the media, sweat still dripping from his face. "I got a couple of glove saves in there, but there were so many shots coming at me, I'm just trying to catch my breath. I'm so old out there. I feel so old. Those guys are buzzing and going 50 percent out there, and I'm trying my absolute hardest just get in front of one of 10 (shots)."
It's one of the charms of hockey, as when a team needs a goaltender, it can turn to some of the most interesting places. The most notable story came in February 2020, when injuries to both of the team's goalies in one game led to Carolina having to turn to an EBUG in Toronto. All Leafs practice goalie and rink worker David Ayres did was make eight saves on 10 shots against as the Canes finished off the win, turning him into an international celebrity.
It's an interesting dichotomy. While the goalies aren't exactly pulled off the street -- most EBUGs have spent a life around the game and practiced with high-level players before, with many even playing college or pro hockey -- it is by far as close as professional sports at the highest level comes to having a Pros Vs. Joes situation.
Sherwood fits the bill, as he grew up playing the sport and has long played in practice against some of the best in the game. While he's largely a beer league goalie now in North Texas, he has practiced against the Stars occasionally, and the Colorado native spent summers at home skating against NHL players as well.
In fact, that's how he ended up in the net on Thursday morning. While he only played club hockey in college, Sherwood used to skate in the Denver area with CBJ coaches Brad Larsen and Kenny McCudden. In addition, he's maintained a relationship with team relations specialist and former NHL player Aaron Johnson, which is why he was the man who was tabbed to fill in at a moment's notice.
"I was on my way to drop my guys off for work and AJ called me and said you guys needed somebody to get hit in the head for an hour," he said. "I figured I'd sling my gear, came down to get a COVID test, and it's worked out well."
For Larsen, it was surreal seeing someone he used to practice against years back when he was in the NHL with the Avalanche suddenly skate up to him this morning.
"I know that guy," he said with a smile on his face post-practice. "That guy used to skate with me and (Dan) Hinote and Derek Armstrong back in Denver. That was our guy. He came over and said, 'Hey, do you recognize me?' I wasn't sure (if it was him). He was like, 'I used to skate in summers with you.' Pretty funny. Small world, right?"
For the CBJ players on the ice, it's not an ideal situation, but one that at least has to make you laugh. Considering the Blue Jackets are coming off back-to-back losses in which the team has been outscored by a combined 12-3, that might be a good thing.
"It keeps the mood light," defenseman Zach Werenski said. "It's always fun to just have stuff like that go on throughout a season. Obviously you don't want your goalies sick, but when it does happen, you can joke around a little bit and have some fun with it.
"He was pretty good out there. He looked solid in net. Whatever beer league team he plays for is pretty lucky."
In fact, Sherwood said, he was scheduled to skate in a rec league game tonight but instead, "I'm gonna have to put an IV in for a while." He did leave with a gift, though, to replace a stick he broke in practice -- a brand-new Merzlikins twig he can put to good use.
He also joked about his day job, noting that if anyone needs a home remodel in the Dallas area to give him a call. But for one day, Sherwood reported for duty as an NHL player, living out a dream he knows he's lucky to have seen fulfilled.
"Even when I get the calls in the summer (to skate with NHL guys), it's pretty humbling to even get to do that," he said. "You realize quickly how much better people are than you at things in the world. It's pretty cool. I had meetings I had to move, and it's just gotta move. You don't miss this opportunity to do this and take advantage of it. It's a lot of fun."