Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins: Calms 'Canes in shootout

Merzlikins made 32 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped three of four shootout attempts in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Hurricanes.

The 30-year-old netminder wraps up 2024 having gone 3-0-1 in his last four starts with a 2.90 GAA and .910 save percentage. Merzlikins has a fairly firm grip on the starting job in Columbus at the moment, largely due to the struggles of Daniil Tarasov (4.23 GAA, .857 save percentage), but Elvis may be playing well enough to get a team in need of help between the pipes to consider taking on his contract, which still has two years and $10.8 million left on it after 2024-25.