Weekes: Something happening with Merzlikins?

[Jovavic]

"I am not a backup" shows self confidence but irks me a bit. How about you let ur play prove that

Elvis has always been cocky. He's an emotional guy and witnessing his best friend die in front of him has probably scarred him mentally. He really needs a fresh start in another organization, I believe he can be a league average goalie in the right situation.

 

[Viqsi]

Exactly and that risk is high. And what if he joins a team and starts beefing with their prospects too with his hot headedness, he could kill a locker room with his drama. This guy has negative value.

Tell me you know nothing about Merzlikins without saying you know nothing about Merzlikins. I know you guys are absolutely desperate to get somebody, anybody to take Campbell off your hands, but telling lies about other teams' players doesn't do it.

 

[Draiskull]

Tell me you know nothing about Merzlikins without saying you know nothing about Merzlikins. I know you guys are absolutely desperate to get somebody, anybody to take Campbell off your hands, but telling lies about other teams' players doesn't do it.

So desperate... we need a new goalie to end this winning streak.

On a more serious note, Skinner started playing good once we waived an entitled struggling goalie out of this team and gave Skinner a more supportive partner. Would hate to add another struggling entitled goalie back to the squad.

 

[mr figgles]

Would he even be more than a backup in Edmonton? Skinner is in beast mode since the rest of the team got its act togethe.

 

[TheNumber4]

Tell me you know nothing about Merzlikins without saying you know nothing about Merzlikins. I know you guys are absolutely desperate to get somebody, anybody to take Campbell off your hands, but telling lies about other teams' players doesn't do it.

I mean did he not beef with Chinakhov in practice? Did he not have some drama with Wilson? Is he not only 1 year removed from being Campbell bad for an entire year? And does not want out? I don’t think I made up this stuff.

The desperation to move Campbell has subsided with Skinner and Pickard playing well now. And the cost of buying out Campbell is easily manageable. In fact, buying out Campbell is what I’ve been pushing for and is the easiest route to take.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

A cannibalistic, underground-dwelling, humanoid?

Fixed that for you lol

 

[ProfessorFink22]

So desperate... we need a new goalie to end this winning streak.

On a more serious note, Skinner started playing good once we waived an entitled struggling goalie out of this team and gave Skinner a more supportive partner. Would hate to add another struggling entitled goalie back to the squad.

Jack Campbell reminds me of a lot of things, but entitled has never felt like one of them. It feels like while they both have huge mental hurdles, Elvis and Jack are polar opposite personalities.

That said, yeah Elvis can come off as entitled and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him cause drama even after he was traded, in some form or another. As a Jackets fan I would wish him the best where he ends up, but wouldn't be surprised if he didn't come around mentally.

 

[TheNumber4]

So desperate... we need a new goalie to end this winning streak.

On a more serious note, Skinner started playing good once we waived an entitled struggling goalie out of this team and gave Skinner a more supportive partner. Would hate to add another struggling entitled goalie back to the squad.

This is a good point. By all reports Pickard is an amazing and supportive teammate. And by speculation Campbell and his sad sack act was bringing Skinner down. This could easilly happen again with Elvis if things don’t go his way, and things haven’t been going his way for a long while now. There’s immense risk with Elvis and I’m not sure much reward, his BEST year was only a .923 which happened 5 years ago in his rookie season.

Writing this, I’m thinking he’s more Koskinen than Campbell though. As both Elvis and Kosko came from the Europe seemingly on fire but then the League scouted him and he’s never been as good since.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

Merz-Tail Spins

 

[Viqsi]

I mean did he not beef with Chinakhov in practice?

Nope.

Did he not have some drama with Wilson?

It's Tom Wilson. The guy tried to kneecap Elvis.

Is he not only 1 year removed from being Campbell bad for an entire year?

Yep. But Campbell is having Father Time issues while Merzlikins was having trouble moving on from Kivi's death since he was still being coached by the guy who hosted the party where Kivi died.

The desperation to move Campbell has subsided with Skinner and Pickard playing well now. And the cost of buying out Campbell is easily manageable. In fact, buying out Campbell is what I’ve been pushing for and is the easiest route to take.

Then what the heck are y'all and other Oilers fans doing in here in the first place?

 

[TheNumber4]

Nope.


It's Tom Wilson. The guy tried to kneecap Elvis.


Yep. But Campbell is having Father Time issues while Merzlikins was having trouble moving on from Kivi's death since he was still being coached by the guy who hosted the party where Kivi died.


Then what the heck are y'all and other Oilers fans doing in here in the first place?

Hmm looked different to me on that Chinakov situation. But interpretations of that locker room disruption can vary.

Campbell isn’t having Father Time issues. Health or stamina isn’t his issue. Like I said, it’s mental, same as Elvis’s, although Elvis’s stems from a PTSD situation and Campbells isn’t.

Personally I’m here to see if Jarmo overplayed his hand on Elvis and I’m curious what he could possibly return with all the risks he represents. Like i said, i would hope for the Oilers to just buy out Campbell, saving any assets required to move him, then using the savings to just shop for a 3M or less goalie which could be just as good as Elvis (not a high bar though) for way less risk and cost. I should add the Oilers also have the best AHL goalie in their system. So maybe don’t even spend those savings on a goalie at all and just give Rodrigue the shot that he’s earned.

 

[belair]

Merzlikins also had valid recoverable reasons for why he was in such a state. Campbell does not.

'Recoverable reasons'

What does that even mean?

Merzlikins is a guy soon turning 30 who is in the same state of being an inconsistent goalie in this league who at his very best was an average starter statistically.

Say what you will about the logic of making a trade for the sake of making one. But both of these goaltenders have had periods in recent memory where they couldn't stop a beach ball, for recoverable reasons.

 

[Satan]

Merzlikins should be back in Europe within 3 years, he’s just a guy.

 

[Mike Jones]

Would he even be more than a backup in Edmonton? Skinner is in beast mode since the rest of the team got its act togethe.

Pickard has earned the backup job so what's the point of picking up somebody else?

 

[Cancuks]

For Campbell or Korpisalo maybe. I can't see any team wanting him at that cap hit.

 

[Gilmour1996]

How well he performed 3-4 years ago has even less relevance than how well Samsonov performed last year and Sammy cleared waivers this year making less and on a 1-year contract. Jackets will have to ante up big-time to get rid of this guy or take back another boat anchor.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Ohio state fair is one of the better attraction of the last few years.

Also you're out of your mind if you dont think Columbus has a chance with Hanifin and Markstrom.

Key word Hanifin

1. OSU has nothing to do with Markstrom waiving to win. One university for a married guy in an okay town isnt much of a draw. Single guy maybe.

2. Markstrom and Hanifin dont turn this team into a cup contender over night. They are outside of the playoffs. Just to stay right there, why would he waive to be in a worse playoff position? To finish the rest of it, Columbus needs 2 centers and at least another defensive defender to be considered playoff contenders. So far they have a bunch of high priced wingers who cant carry the play or play the game right to help a team win. the defense is chalked full of offensive defenders, most of whom get killed in net front battles. Then you have the bad Gud contract. While Markstrom and Hanifin would be a decent step forward, they dont turn this team around. With all that said, I go back to the original point of why would Markstrom waive if he doesnt have a chance to win?

But i guess im just out of my mind.

 

[squashmaple]

Hmm looked different to me on that Chinakov situation. But interpretations of that locker room disruption can vary.

Personally I’m here to see if Jarmo overplayed his hand on Elvis and I’m curious what he could possibly return with all the risks he represents. Like i said, i would hope for the Oilers to just buy out Campbell, saving any assets required to move him, then using the savings to just shop for a 3M or less goalie which could be just as good as Elvis (not a high bar though) for way less risk and cost. I should add the Oilers also have the best AHL goalie in their system. So maybe don’t even spend those savings on a goalie at all and just give Rodrigue the shot that he’s earned.

It was Marchenko, not Chinakhov. And they've been posted in each other's insta stories repeatedly since. Elvis is part Russian and spends most of his time with the team's Russians.

I agree that there probably isn't a deal to be made between Edmonton in Columbus. Columbus doesn't want Campbell and Edmonton doesn't need Elvis.

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

NHL.com has an article up: Merzlikins wants new scenario, 'won't be backup' in Columbus

I guess just the same comments as Portzline was reporting but a bit more meat.

 

[Cowumbus]

Broberg+Campbell for Elvis+Boqvist incoming

Also, Campbell is more than happy to be the backup in Columbus

Lol, no.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

If the deal is Merzlikins for Markstrom, I'm gonna want a big plus

 

[mr figgles]

Pickard has earned the backup job so what's the point of picking up somebody else?

Who in their right mind would trust Pickard with the backup role for an extended period of time?

 

[TheNumber4]

NHL.com has an article up: Merzlikins wants new scenario, 'won't be backup' in Columbus

I guess just the same comments as Portzline was reporting but a bit more meat.

Jarmo’s PR machine fully at work. Yeh the issue here is he’s squeezed out of a starter role by an .887 Martin and an .883 Tarasov. Not the fact that he’s overpaid and underperforming. Took Jarmo a couple months but he’s invented a new narrative for this trade out of thin air.

 

[Viqsi]

Jarmo’s PR machine

I had to stop reading here because I couldn't see the screen I was laughing so hard.

Jarmo Kekalainen is many things, but a PR manipulator is so incredibly far from one of them that it boggles the mind to even consider taking that seriously.

 

[Scintillating10]

Merzlikins has quite a bit of term left. Might hurt where he goes. Around 6 million for average goalie​