Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets will not be traveling to Latvia for the World Championships in May, according to a Latvian newspaper that was published this morning.
Elvis Merzlikins chose not to participate in the competition due to personal and family issues. He recently added a new child to his family, and he feels that this summer, he should prioritize spending time with them as well as taking care of himself.
He will now pass on what would have been his seventh World Championship, having previously participated in six for his home country.
Merzlikins supported the Blue Jackets to important games in April this season. There were times when he stepped up and kept his team in games, but they ultimately lost, being eliminated on the second-last day of the regular season.
Turned down the opportunity to play for Team USA in the May 2025 World Championships.
His 26-21-5 record, 3.18 goals against average, and a .892 save percentage in 53 games was the most he had ever played in a single NHL season.
However, Merzlikins’ future in Columbus is still up in the air. The Blue Jackets might be thinking about changing their goalie, according to a recent rumor, which might make this offseason exciting to watch.
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