With two goalies and one net, Blue Jackets are at a crossroads

Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins both love Columbus. They enjoy working with each other, and both believe they can be No. 1 goaltenders.
Therein, though, lies the problem. With just one net to split between two 27-year-old goalies who have shown they can carry the load, the Blue Jackets have an inherent situation to deal with. And when you add in the fact both are unrestricted free agents after the upcoming 2021-22 season, you can see why perhaps making a decision between the two takes on a pressing status this offseason.
And here's the other reality -- the goalies know it.

"It's going to be an interesting summer, I think," Merzlikins said last week. "I don't want to go in the business (side) because that is not my job, but I am going to be honest like I always am. Nobody is stupid here. We understand that there are two No. 1 goalies on one team, and I don't think that both are going to stay, but you never know.
"I don't want to go into business, but even Korpi, he wants to play. I want to play. And to share the net I don't think is best for our future or something like that. It's going to be an interesting summer but at the same time it's going to be a nervous summer."

There also is why it might be time to make a decision -- neither goalie seemed particularly excited to split the net during the past season. Even though that's become more in vogue over the past few seasons -- just four NHL goalies this season played at least 40 of the 56 games, or 71 percent -- a true tandem situation doesn't seem ideal for either netminder, both of whom have made it clear they would welcome the challenge of being a No. 1.
And given that the Blue Jackets could feature a goaltender as a trade chip this offseason as part of its reload rather than be in a situation where they could lose a player at the position for nothing next offseason, it could be the end of the CBJ road for one of the two in the coming weeks.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen didn't tip his hand at his end of the season press conference last week, but he also knows he's in some ways dealing from a position in strength. First, neither Merzlikins nor Korpisalo need to be made available in the upcoming expansion draft because the former doesn't need to be protected, so the CBJ GM doesn't have to worry from that perspective.
Plus he's pleased with the CBJ goaltending pipeline, as 25-year-old Matiss Kivlenieks has shown he can play at the NHL level the past two seasons -- and is coming off a standout season when he played with AHL Cleveland -- while 22-year-old Daniil Tarasov is a mountain of a man who was impressive in the KHL this season and also looked good in a late-season cameo in Cleveland.
"There are some decisions that we have to make," Kekalainen said. "I was pleased with how Matiss played the last couple of games here. We have always believed that he can be an NHL goalie, and then we have Daniil Tarasov here now who we think is an excellent prospect, a 6-foot-6 goaltender who has all sorts of athletic ability and a similar work ethic to Sergei Bobrovsky.
"So we are very excited about that position. I think that it's a strength of ours and will give us some good options. It's always hard when you have to make those decisions, but that's the nature of the business."
Making any move would not just require finding a partner who needs a potential starting netminder but also deciding which goalie is worth dealing.
Korpisalo has been with the squad for six seasons and was named an All-Star in 2020-21 when he got off to a red-hot start before a knee injury cost him two months of the campaign. He still went 19-12-5 with a 2.60 GAA and .911 save percentage a year ago, though his numbers suffered this year in part thanks to defense breakdowns and injuries, as the steady Finn finished 9-13-7 with a 3.30 GAA and. 897 save percentage.

"I'm disappointed in my season," Korpisalo said. "I don't think it was where it should be. I felt good, but there were times I didn't make that big save and keep the team in play. It was kind of like a roller-coaster season -- good games and games where it didn't pan out that well. Yeah, I'm not happy so I'm going to have the best summer and get back better than ever."
Merzlikins, meanwhile, also didn't quite match his numbers from a year ago and also fought injuries, but he continued to show his high ceiling and athletic game that can allow him to steal games. The Latvian finished fifth in the Vezina and Calder trophy voting last year when he went 13-9-8/2.35/.923 with five shutouts in eight games at one point. This year, Merzlikins was 8-12-5 with a 2.77 GAA and .916 save percentage to go with a pair of shutouts.
"I am pretty hard on myself and I don't like the numbers," he said. "I just look at my numbers and they are not that bad, but they are not even as good as I want them. I want it better. Obviously my goal is to have lower numbers than the year before, but I am not finding excuses. ... I am going to say it was an OK season. Last year, it was a great season. This year, it was an OK season, close to a good season."
Perhaps those responses are also what makes it so difficult for CBJ brass to make a decision between the two. Both netminders are wired to be the best they can be, and while they sound the same when it comes to discussing the past season, they also feel the same way about being with the Blue Jackets.
"I've been here six years and love every season, love the town, everything here," Korpisalo said. "I just love being here. Obviously I want to be here, 100 percent."
"I like Columbus and I like the city and I like the fans," Merzlikins said. "But again, it is not up to me to make the decision. I am just the guy who is catching the pucks and get paid for that."