NHL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Elvis Merzlikins' Potential Contract Extension

Elvis Merzlikins' rookie season for the Columbus Blue Jackets got off to a rough start, but he became a reliable starting goalie down the stretch and had some impressive showings.

And that may lead to the 25-year-old staying in Ohio for a while.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Blue Jackets are "working on a contract extension" with Merzlikins. While the terms of the deal aren't clear—and they might not come for a bit with the NHL suspended due to coronavirus concerns—it's a  sign that the Latvian has a long-term future in Columbus.

The netminder didn't notch a win until his 11th game of the season, and he allowed three or more goals five times over his first 10 contests. It wasn't the best beginning for Merzlikins, who was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2014 draft.

However, his first win started a stretch in which he won 12 of 14 starts, and he had five shutouts over that span. At the point when the NHL was suspended, he had a .923 save percentage and 2.35 goals against average in 33 games.

It's not clear how the Blue Jackets plan to split starts between Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo, who both played well at times and missed some time due to injury this season. Both are 25-year-olds with bright futures, and they've both shown the potential to be a starter.

Perhaps for now Columbus will play both goaltenders and have a strong duo making close to an even number of starts.

Merzlikins certainly proved his ability and made an impression around the league, as NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes ranked him as the No. 1 rookie goalie in the NHL this season on March 2.

"He's been lightning in a bottle for them on a team that is still somewhat in contention," Weekes said at the time, according to NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale. "Especially considering the fact that Korpisalo was selected to the All-Star Game this year [but didn't play because of injury]. Merzlikins has taken the league by storm and is my No. 1 on this list."

Merzlikins should only get better as he continues to gain NHL experience, and it will be fun to watch how he keeps developing in the seasons to come. And it appears that will continue to be with the Blue Jackets for at least the near future.