<p>The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without goaltender Elvis Merzlikins for the time being as the 28-year-old returns to his native Latvia to be with his family.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CBJ</a> announce that Elvis Merzlikins has returned back to Latvia to be with his family as his grandmother is seriously ill. <a href="https://t.co/J0cRlf3VOP">https://t.co/J0cRlf3VOP</a></p>— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/1634318419725099008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Merzlikins has been the primary goalie for Columbus since the March 2 trade that sent Joonas Korpisalo to Los Angeles in exchange for Kings’ legend Jonathan Quick and draft compensation.</p>



<p>Merzlikins had started five-straight games for the Blue Jackets before he left the team. On the season, the netminder has struggled to career worsts in save percentage (.880), GAA (4.10), and record (7-17-2) for the lowly Blue Jackets.</p>



<p>The Blue Jackets cannot pin their defensive troubles solely on the play of Merzlikins; they have shipped the fourth-most goals in the NHL despite having used four different goaltenders. Columbus has the worst points total in the league.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="155"></div>



<p>In his last start on March 7, Merzlikins stopped all 7 shots he faced before leaving the contest after falling ill. Veteran backup Michael Hutchinson, acquired in the trade that sent Quick to Las Vegas, went on to allow 5 goals as the Blue Jackets squandered a 4-0 lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins.</p>



<p>The Blue Jackets have recalled rookie goaltender Daniil Tarasov from the AHL Cleveland Monsters while Merzlikins addresses his private matters. Tarasov is 2-9-1 in his 13 NHL starts this season. The Russian averages 3.28 goals against with a .908 save percentage.</p>



<p>Hutchinson and Tarasov will be the dressed goalies when the Blue Jackets return to play at home against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at 7:00 pm ET.</p>
