COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:
Item No. 1: Three-headed monster
It’s always awkward with three goaltenders on the roster. And so it’s been since the Blue Jackets recalled Jet Greaves from AHL Cleveland early last week.
Greaves has been the starter and Elvis Merzlikins has been his backup for consecutive overtime losses to Washington (Thursday) and Anaheim (Saturday). Those two occupy two of the extra-wide locker stalls along the back wall of the Blue Jackets dressing room.
Daniil Tarasov, meanwhile, is wedged into a skater’s stall on the other side of the room. In more ways than one, Tarasov is the odd man out.
For how long will the Blue Jackets carry three goaltenders? Nobody will say, perhaps because nobody knows. After a rough outing by Merzlikins last Tuesday against Philadelphia, the coaching staff reached two conclusions:
• Merzlikins, who had started 12 of the previous 13 games, was clearly showing signs of fatigue. The 5-3 loss to his Flyers was hardly his fault alone, but there were ugly goals at unfortunate times that contributed largely to the defeat.
• They don’t trust Tarasov. The big Russian has made only one start since Nov. 16 — one month tomorrow — and it was a shaky 6-3 loss in Edmonton on Dec. 5.
So Greaves was summoned from Cleveland, the third straight season he’s seen action in Columbus. In the past, it’s always been for injuries or illness. This time, it’s performance-based, and it feels as if Greaves will be allowed to stick if all goes well.
“Day by day, game by game,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said when asked if there was a plan. “We’ll evaluate. We (were just) having a discussion in (the coaches’ office) after Saturday’s loss to Anaheim.
“We don’t want to have three goaltenders here. But, as we’ve talked about before, Jet deserves to be here.”
There were strange tremors on Friday when Greaves and forward Mikael Pyyhtiä ended up on the transaction wire and, later, on the Cleveland roster. But those “moves” were made to give the Blue Jackets flexibility in the coming weeks.
The NHL holiday roster freeze begins Thursday and runs through Dec. 28. It prevents NHL players from being traded, waived or demoted to the minor leagues during that time, but there are exceptions.
One of the exceptions is for players who were recalled after Dec. 11. They can be sent to the minors until midnight on Dec. 23. Greaves’ recall last week was on Dec. 11, so he needed to be recalled at least a day later in order to rejoin the Monsters through Dec. 23.
Jet-powered defense from the @BlueJacketsNHL.
#CBJ | Watch on FanDuel Sports Network pic.twitter.com/UESQsfEgGB
— FanDuel Sports Network Columbus (@FanDuelSN_CBUS) December 13, 2024
It doesn’t sound as if Greaves is going anywhere soon. He played well in both of his starts, even the 4-3 loss to Anaheim on Saturday. None of the four goals could be pinned on Greaves, including the OT winner, which was scored off a breakaway.
Greaves has always looked the part in the NHL, even though his record (3-7-2) is underwhelming. After stopping 23 of 27 shots on Saturday, he has a .911 save percentage with Columbus. That’s actually better than his AHL save percentage (.905).
This has been his first NHL shot under new GM Don Waddell, who is gathering loads of information throughout this season. The longer Greaves is with the Blue Jackets — or the longer they keep three goalies — the more awkward it will become.
And that’s OK.
“Like I always say, I like these tough decisions,” Waddell told the Columbus Blue Jackets Radio Network during Saturday’s game. “They’ll make it for me, eventually.
“Right now, we have three goalies, and we plan on carrying three for the time being. We’ll see how each and every game goes.”
J-E-T ✈️ pic.twitter.com/1pNYq5dGzN
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 15, 2024
Item No. 2: Reunited
Zach Werenski can’t wait to play in a best-on-best tournament this February when the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland gather for the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston. He’s thrilled to represent the U.S., and it’ll be a blast to compete with his several friends on the roster.
But there’s something else. Or, someone else.
Former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, now the bench boss with the Flyers, will be an assistant coach for the U.S., the first time he will have coached Werenski since he left the Blue Jackets following the 2020-21 season.
“It’s gonna be awesome,” Werenski said. “I’m excited to see him in a different role than he was here. I think it’ll be great.
“Torts and I have a great relationship. I still talk to him consistently through the year. I’m sure I’ll see him after the game (vs. Philadelphia last Tuesday), but I’m excited to play for him. Hopefully he’s not yelling at me or anything. I’m joking, it’ll be good.”
Tortorella arrived in Columbus early in the 2015-16 season. Werenski played that season at the University of Michigan but joined AHL Cleveland for the playoffs and had a big impact in the Monsters’ Calder Cup run.
With the Blue Jackets out of the playoffs, Tortorella had a chance to watch many of Werenski’s games in Cleveland during that run, so he knew what was coming the next season. And he knew how to use him, too.
“I thought it was awesome (playing for him as a rookie),” Werenski said. “He wants you to be the best player you can be. He expected a lot of out of me. He pushed me. I definitely owe a lot to him, just in how I approach the game nowadays.
“I’m a lot different player now than I was when I played for him, just based on age and experience and where I am in my career. I was a young kid playing for him. But the standard he sets and the work he expects, it was great for me at a young age.”
Tortorella beamed before Tuesday’s game when the topic of Werenski surfaced. Werenski is having the best season of his career — 10-21-31 in 30 games — and coaches enjoy nothing more than seeing one of their former players bloom.
When Tortorella first coached Werenski, he gave him permission to roam the ice and be aggressive offensively, dubbing him a “rover.” It should be noted that almost every team in the league now has one or two blueliners who rove.
“He’s having a hell of a year,” Tortorella said. “When I got him, he still needed to mature. And the biggest thing between Z and I early in his career was just teaching him that he needed to defend a little bit, too. He’s a special player.
“I’m not sure how (coach) Dean (Evason) uses him, and I don’t want to coach him now from here. That’s not my place. But he’s dynamite that way. He’s just a hell of a player. I think he’s brought it to another level (this season). I’m happy for him. Great kid. Loved coaching him.”
1. What part of Columbus is home and why?
I live in downtown Columbus. It’s convenient and our captain (Boone Jenner) owns the unit, and he’s a good landlord. (Laughing) I think he’s giving me a good deal, too, so I can’t complain. He rented it out to Peeker (former Blue Jackets defenseman Andrew Peeke) and once Peeker got traded, I was like, ‘It’s mine now.’ My mom has helped me fill it out. It needed her touch, absolutely.
2. Favorite restaurant in Columbus.
If we’re talking convenient, everyday food, I like True Food (Kitchen) at Easton. Favorite restaurant, I’d probably go with The Guild House. Fun place. Good spot. It’s tough to not put Cento in there. That’s my favorite Italian in the city. That and Lindy’s are a coin toss for me in German Village. I love German Village.
3. How do you spend an off day Sunday?
When I wake up, I’d go for a walk and grab a coffee. Then I’d either come here (Nationwide Arena) or Panacea (Luxury Spa) — let me give them a little shout-out — and go for a sauna, a cold tub and recover. Then I go get my groceries for the week, and then I’d probably park it and watch some football, maybe see what the guys are up to.
4. Favorite CBJ memory.
Probably something off the ice where we’re all together. I feel like guys never forget their rookie dinners. Mine was in Los Angeles my first year. We had a great dinner at some sushi spot. It’s great. You’re breaking the ice with the guys, telling your joke or performing the skit, or whatever they make you do. It’s just all the guys having fun together. It wasn’t just me (as a rookie). (Jake) Bean, Elvis (Merzlikins), Peeke, (Adam) Boqvist … we divided it, but it was still hefty.
5. Which teammate should have a podcast?
Jack Johnson. He absolutely should have a podcast. College football, politics and hockey. He’s knowledgeable about a lot of things.
Item No. 4: Snacks
• The best sight in Nationwide Arena last week was captain Boone Jenner getting dressed to skate on Tuesday after the active Blue Jackets finished their morning skate. He skated again on Thursday and Saturday with skating coach Lee Harris and strength and conditioning coach Kevin Collins, respectively. Jenner, who had shoulder surgery in October after suffering an injury late in the preseason, is ahead of schedule, per Waddell. That’s good news, of course, but the Blue Jackets have yet to say what his schedule is. Jenner told The Athletic earlier this season that his only goal is to play again this season. It would be a bonus if he’s cleared to play before the March 1 Stadium Series game in Ohio Stadium. Stay tuned.
• Defenseman Jacob Trouba, who declined a little more than a week ago to lift the no-trade clause in his contract to facilitate a trade to the Blue Jackets, was in town with his new club, the Anaheim Ducks, on Saturday. “Multiple teams (were involved) and things were evolving fluidly,” Trouba said. “I just felt that Anaheim was a good fit for me. I thought there could be a future there with my wife (Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba) and what she does.” Asked by The Athletic if there were any “red flags” with the Blue Jackets, Trouba said: “No, not at all. It wasn’t like I had my pick of the litter. It’s just kind of how things unfolded. The Anaheim thing came up and that was the direction we decided to go.”
GO DEEPER
Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: What GM Don Waddell’s pursuit of Jacob Trouba means
• The one Blue Jackets player discussed most often when looking ahead to the March 7 NHL trade deadline is defenseman Ivan Provorov, who has had a solid, steady season on Columbus’ second pair. It’s believed that Provorov, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, could fetch a first-round pick, which would give the Jackets three firsts for next summer’s draft. (They already have their own and Minnesota’s following the David Jiricek trade.) The emergence of Denton Mateychuk, a first-round pick (No. 12) in 2022 who is currently thriving in the AHL, would make Provorov expendable. Here’s Provorov on the topic: “From the day I got (to Columbus), I’ve enjoyed my time here. I like the city. I love the organization and the boys in the room. For me, I feel great here. But, obviously, a lot of times it’s out of your hands. So, I’m just focused on playing and doing the best I can and trying to help the team win.”
• Winger Yegor Chinakhov hasn’t played since Nov. 27 vs. Montreal, missing the last nine games with a lower-body injury. Today vs. Carolina will be game No. 10. The club has not offered a timeline on Chinakhov’s return, but his agent, Shumi Babaev, told The Athletic that Chinakhov hopes to resume skating next week.
• The Wild sent Jiricek to AHL Iowa early last week, 10 days after acquiring him in the trade with Columbus. He did not play with Minnesota before the demotion.
• Sunday Gathering trivia question: There have been 13 instances of Blue Jackets defensemen scoring 10 or more goals in a season; seven of them by Werenski, including this season. Five other defensemen achieved the other six 10-plus goal seasons. How many can you name?
• Werenski’s goal on Thursday vs. Washington was the 100th of his career.
• Strange but true: The Blue Jackets are 2-2-4 against the seven clubs beneath them in the standings through Saturday’s games: Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim, Buffalo, Montreal, Nashville and Chicago. They’re 10-11-1 against the 24 teams ahead of them.
• The Blue Jackets, with back-to-back overtime losses to Washington and Anaheim, slid to 1-5 this season when games are decided at three-on-three. That’s on top of a 3-10 overtime record last season. Both losses this weekend came on the first shot of overtime.
• AHL Cleveland’s Trey Fix-Wolansky scored his 100th career AHL goal in a 3-2 overtime loss to Lehigh Valley on Saturday. Wolansky’s goal, assisted by Luca Del Bel Belluz and newcomer Daemon Hunt at 8:42 of the third period, was a slap shot from high above the circles through traffic. (Great call by Monsters radio voice Tony Brown.)
the big 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ for Trey Fix-Wolansky!! 🔥 🔥 🔥 @TheAHL | @BlueJacketsNHL | #FearTheDepths pic.twitter.com/0naTIcMgbv
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) December 15, 2024
• Del Bel Belluz has now climbed atop the AHL scoring leaders with 15-14-29 in 25 games. He’s been on a burner of late, with 9-9-18 in his last 13 games and points in 12 of those games. The second-round pick (No. 44) in 2022 is pushing for a second call-up to the NHL. You’ll recall he came up late last season and scored 3:37 into his NHL debut on April 16, the season finale.
• Luca Pinelli, a fourth-round pick (No. 114) of the Blue Jackets in 2023, was named to Team Canada’s roster for the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. Pinelli, 19, has 21-16-37 in 26 games for the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League.
• Trivia answer: The five other Blue Jackets defensemen to have 10-plus goal seasons are Seth Jones (16 in 2017-18, 12 in 2016-17), Bryan Berard (12 in 2005-06), Jamie Heward (11 in 2000-01), David Savard (11 in 2014-15), and Adam Boqvist (11 in 2021-22).
(Photo: Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
