Player Discussion: The Elvis Thread

[Ice9]

With the name and some game and a bit of cockiness he can either be a great story in this league for years or he can be just a character that showed up one day, didn't do much and becomes a trivia question.

 

[su24]

Does he speak Russian, I wonder... but actually with Panarin and Bob gone, it doesn't matter a lot. Or does, considering there will be Gavrikov in the next season.

He speaks Russian very well. Here's his 40 minutes interview to Russian media:
His father passed away when he was 3 years old and his mother had to take care of him and his brother alone for many years, then she got married a man from Switzerland and Eslvis basically learned to play hockey there.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

He's getting himself a new mask

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

They seem to be very cautious about having Elvis around the rest of the team right now. He's not traveling with them to away games or practicing with them. I'm not really surprised. It's clear he fits into the teams plans for next season so having your future replacement hanging around could easily be distracting to Bob and or Korpi right now. With the World Championships beginning in about 2 weeks I wouldn't be surprised if he gets released to go play for Latvia soon.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

CM 19: Elvis Merzlikins va rejoindre la Lettonie

Elvis is headed to the world championships.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

 

[DJA]

One year eh? Interesting.

 

[Ice9]

I want to play for the big club or else?

 

[Finner]

Why is this one year deal?

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

One year eh? Interesting.

Why is this one year deal?

He’ll still be RFA when it is done. If it works, he can sign a bigger deal. If it doesn’t, he can go back to Europe.

 

[DJA]

Guessing if he’s not “the man” next year he can take his puck and go home. Sounds like this will be fun.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I want to play for the big club or else?

He’ll be 25 and is one of the best goalies in Europe. Playing in Cleveland will be a waste of his time. I believe they could still send him to Cleveland but he’d be paid an NHL salary.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

This feels to me like the club's plan all along, rather than the player getting a concession from the club. I think Jarmo is banking on Elvis being the man as much as Elvis is.

 

[Sabo0290]

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Interesting note in that CapFriendly tweet. I mean, it's obvious, but something that's easily overlooked given the focus on the likely-departing UFAs, especially the one in net.

Again, I suspect the FO expects to sign Korpisalo to a one-way deal as well, running both he and Elvis out in a time-share until one of them stakes a claim. If things go sour with Korp, like he takes issue with the club's essentially handing Elvis a roster spot, then the club isn't without options, including one that will be in-house until July 1. That said, I don't expect Kincaid, as much as we might like, is a part of the plan moving forward except as a possible fallback.

 

[stevo61]

Elvis is betting on himself and Jarmo is saying ok make me pay you but at the same time keeping those RFA rights. I would have been surprised if it were longer honestly

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Probably the most important person in the organization. Go get 'em Elvis.

 

[MFRONE]

They seem to be very cautious about having Elvis around the rest of the team right now. He's not traveling with them to away games or practicing with them. I'm not really surprised. It's clear he fits into the teams plans for next season so having your future replacement hanging around could easily be distracting to Bob and or Korpi right now. With the World Championships beginning in about 2 weeks I wouldn't be surprised if he gets released to go play for Latvia soon.

None of the scratches traveled on the road with the team as far as I know

 

[EspenK]

So Jackets are going to go into next year with a G payroll less than $3mm? Hopefully they play well above that level.

 

[DJA]

I think it's a smart move to trim the goalie payroll, there have been countless examples of cheap goalies playing well above their pay grade - and I'd rather sink $20M into our forward corps which is extremely underwhelming at the moment - I just don't know if ours are the ones to do it. I have ZERO confidence in Korpi, I'd like to see what we can get for him in a trade ( a couple picks would be great). I would be okay rolling with Elvis and a cheap, veteran McBackup type off the scrap heap, honestly (Kinkaid?).

 

[Finner]

He’ll still be RFA when it is done. If it works, he can sign a bigger deal. If it doesn’t, he can go back to Europe.

Thanks for clearing things up

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Merzlikins, 25, signed with the Blue Jackets in March after his season ended in Switzerland. He spent two months on the roster but was kept far away from the club as it battled into the Stanley Cup playoffs and reached the second round.

Mostly, Merzlikins’ days were spent working with goaltending coach Manny Legace, who tried to “North American-ize” his game.

“(Merzlikins) worked hard on the ice,” Kekalainen said. “I talked to Manny regularly about his work habits, and they were good. He’s open-minded to learning new things. He doesn’t think he has, by any means, arrived. He knows he has to prove himself, and he has a good attitude about it. He wants to take the challenge head-on.”

“It’s the best league in the world; that’s the biggest adjustment,” Kekalainen said. “It’s the best shooters in the world, and the smaller rink makes everything quicker. Shooters have better angles. Traffic in front of the net is different.
“But it’s hockey; it’s still hockey. It’s not like he was facing bad shooters over there (in Europe). Plus, Merzlikins has played against NHL players in the World Championships many times, with a lot of success.”

Merzlikins is playing for his native Latvia in the IIHF World Championships, which are being held in Slovakia. He has a .944 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average so far in the tournament. For a third consecutive year, former NHL coach Bob Hartley is coaching Latvia in the tournament.

“I’ve said it many times … he’s pretty impressive,” Hartley told NHL.com. “His focus, the way he competes, his techniques are second to none. What he’s done in Lugano (Switzerland), what he’s done so far with the Latvian national team is very good. It’s very impressive. We can only wish him the best.

“We know the NHL is a great opportunity for Elvis. He’ll be ready. I have no doubt that he’ll be a good one.”

Blue Jackets insist Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo...

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I think it's a smart move to trim the goalie payroll, there have been countless examples of cheap goalies playing well above their pay grade - and I'd rather sink $20M into our forward corps which is extremely underwhelming at the moment - I just don't know if ours are the ones to do it. I have ZERO confidence in Korpi, I'd like to see what we can get for him in a trade ( a couple picks would be great). I would be okay rolling with Elvis and a cheap, veteran McBackup type off the scrap heap, honestly (Kinkaid?).

That's my issue as well. Even though I have reservations about Elvis, I admit that he could be 100% NHL ready. But he could be ready for a backup role, not a starting role. If that's the case, I have the same amount of zero confidence that Korpi can play 50 games on a playoff team. He's definitely shown flashes, but to do it for 6 months....

 

[blahblah]

Honestly, this is what I've been waiting for. I've thought for a while he's out future in goal, I hope he performs.

Korp is an RFA, wonder if the FO considers him part of the core moving forward.