Blue Jackets' Sudden Goalie Need Opens Door For Habs Trade
The Blue Jackets announced August 20 that goaltender Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery, with no timetable established for his return.
General manager Don Waddell explained the situation. "Elvis informed us a few weeks ago that he was experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder during his offseason workouts," Waddell said. "Following an MRI, it was determined that surgery was the best course of action. He'll be evaluated again in a few weeks at which time we'll have a clearer idea on when he will be back on the ice."
Crease Suddenly Looks Thin
That leaves Columbus with a depth problem behind newly extended starter Jet Greaves, who posted 18 wins and a .907 save percentage across 55 appearances last season, a significant step up from Merzlikins' .883 mark in 30 games.
Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins underwent successful shoulder surgery on Monday. No timetable has been set for his return at this time.
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 20, 2026
Full details ➡️ https://t.co/WYcHSvZIfu pic.twitter.com/q9DEQXZRSN
Behind Greaves sits Pheonix Copley, who has all of one career NHL appearance. For a Blue Jackets team that finished 40-30-12 and 18th overall last season while also navigating an open question about Zach Werenski's long-term future, opening the year with that little proven depth in net is a big risk.
Montembeault Fits
Montembeault, meanwhile, has been squeezed out of Montreal's plans.
Jakub Dobes has taken over as the clear starter after signing a three-year, $5.36 million extension, and prospect Jacob Fowler pushed his way into the picture with a strong 17-game NHL debut of his own.
That leaves Montembeault as the third goaltender on a roster that only has room for two, with one year remaining on a team-friendly $3.15 million cap hit and no no-trade protection standing in the way of a deal.
sam montembeault BRUTALLY SAVEMOGGS macklin celebrini TWICE in a row pic.twitter.com/C2FGuvMLIE
— bea (@uhdoilooklike) August 23, 2026
Montembeault helped lead Montreal to the playoffs in 2024-25 and has past success even after a difficult 2025-26 campaign, giving Columbus a bounce-back candidate at a manageable cost rather than relying entirely on an unproven backup.
The two sides also have real trade history to build on. Waddell and Canadiens GM Kent Hughes have already completed multiple deals together, including the trade that sent Patrik Laine to Montreal and a separate deal involving Luke Tuch, and the two front offices have reportedly been in touch about Columbus winger Kirill Marchenko for months as well.
That kind of familiarity tends to make new conversations easier to get moving.
Nothing about a deal is close, and Montembeault remains a Canadien as camp approaches.
