Jet Greaves powers Blue Jackets in must-win over Sabres: What took so long?
COLUMBUS, Ohio — One question has lingered over the Columbus Blue Jackets for a few weeks now.
The Blue Jackets' goaltending — between starter Elvis Merzlikins and backup Daniil Tarasov — has been a weak spot on the roster all season, and it's been especially turbulent and underwhelming in recent weeks as the Jackets have faded in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
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All the while Jet Greaves, who has never seemed out of place in NHL spot starts over the past three seasons, has been dominating the AHL up in Cleveland, putting up a .949 save percentage since Feb. 15 to almost single-handedly keep the Monsters in the playoff picture.
The question: Why didn't Greaves get to Columbus sooner?
Greaves made 33 of his 41 saves in the final two periods, holding off the Buffalo Sabres long enough for the Blue Jackets to score three unanswered goals — including two in a three-minute span early in the third — to win 3-2 before 16,406 in Nationwide Arena.
The question, for now, does not have a clear answer.
After Thursday's game, Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason was asked why the organization was reluctant to call up Greaves before this point in the season, when the Blue Jackets are on the brink of being mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
'That's a Don Waddell question,' Evason said, curiously.
HOW DO YA DO CAPTAIN!? 🚨@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/IQHFAqT78I
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 11, 2025
James van Riemsdyk, Zach Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner each scored for the Blue Jackets, but it was Jenner's power-play goal — scored off his own rebound while getting pummeled to the ice at 6:42 of the third — that put Columbus in the lead for the first time.
It's a game the Blue Jackets absolutely had to have. If they'd lost in regulation, they would have been eliminated from the playoffs with four games remaining in the season. It could still happen Friday if the Montreal Canadiens win in regulation in Ottawa.
All the Blue Jackets can control now is what's in front of them, but even that took some unpredictable turns on Thursday morning.
Merzlikins, who was scheduled to be the starter on Thursday, took part in a morning skate and was the first goaltender off the ice, perhaps leaving early with an injury. The Blue Jackets announced later in the morning that Merzlikins was in fact injured and Greaves was on his way down from Cleveland.
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Greaves, by the way, had played for Cleveland on Wednesday, making 19 saves in a 4-3 win over Grand Rapids. He didn't seem to mind the late change of plans.
'I'm happy any time I get a chance to play,' Greaves said. '(I got the call this morning) and I got here as soon as I could. It's all part of it. Once you're in the game, you settle in and it's about competing and trying to win hockey games. It was fun to be out there and the guys did a great job the whole night.'
Waffleboarded away! 🧇 pic.twitter.com/jID0GxOMGl
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 11, 2025
Greaves made two strong stops late in the second period to keep the Sabres' lead at 2-1. The highlight was a stop on Buffalo's JJ Peterka, who was denied on a breakaway with 1:25 remaining.
'Very impressive,' Jenner said. 'He plays last night, drives today, comes in here … that's not easy, playing back-to-back games in two different cities and two different leagues.
'We know (Jet) extremely well. He works extremely hard every day. He's a great teammate. I was happy to see him in there and get rewarded with that effort.'
Evason said he did not know how long Merzlikins would be sidelined. Greaves, after the game, was asked if the Blue Jackets had told him how long he'd stay in Columbus.
'I'm day-to-day,' Greaves said, with a smile.
It will be fascinating to see where this goes.
Merzlikins has been celebrated by Evason all season for being a 'great teammate,' and he's even gone so far as to say he's been a leader in the dressing room. But it's been a struggle for Merzlikins lately, not just in his play but in controlling his temper.
The numbers aren't good: he has an .865 save percentage and 4.24 goals-against average in his last eight outings, seven of them starts.
But the numbers aren't the only issue.
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Last Thursday, he was pulled from a start for the first time this season after smashing his stick on the goal and then on the ice after giving up a soft goal. One night later, according to FanDuel Sports Network's Jody Shelley, Merzlikins apologized to teammates and coaches during a team dinner in Toronto.
But then, on Saturday against the Maple Leafs, Merzlikins began shouting at Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson during the run of play in the third period of a 5-0 loss to Toronto. The shouting match carried over near the Blue Jackets' bench during a TV timeout later in the period.
On Sunday, when the Blue Jackets played in Ottawa, Tarasov was pulled after allowing two goals in the first 4:26 of the game. Merzlikins came on and played well, but the Blue Jackets lost 4-0. Merzlikins started against Ottawa on Tuesday and played fairly well.
Waddell, in a text exchange with the Blue Jackets earlier in the day, confirmed that Merzlikins was injured.
It's a small sample size, sure. But Greaves' numbers this season — he's 3-2-2 despite a .914 save percentage and 2.71 goals against — are dramatically better than Merzlikins' (.892/3.18) and Tarasov's (.881/3.54).
'Every time he's come up here and played, he's really made a strong showing for himself,' van Riemsdyk said. 'He's been really steady back there for us. It was impressive. We hung him out to dry in the first, but he shut the door and kept us in it with a lot of big saves as the game went along.'
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