Blue Jackets acquire Canadiens goalie after Elvis Merzlikins' injury in newest blockbuster proposal
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Elvis Merzlikins shoulder surgery has Columbus scrambling for goaltending help, and Samuel Montembeault could be the answer Kent Hughes has been waiting for.
The Columbus Blue Jackets just found themselves in a tough spot.
Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery this week with no clear timeline for his return, leaving Jet Greaves as the only proven option in net.
Phoenix Copley is next in line, but he was signed to play in the AHL, not to carry an NHL crease through the fall.
That gap is exactly the kind of opening that gets rumor mills spinning, and it did not take long for eyes to turn toward Montreal.
"There is uncertainty in the Columbus net."
Samuel Montembeault has spent most of the summer as the subject of trade speculation, with Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler both viewed as the Canadiens' long term answers in net.
Kent Hughes has resisted moving him so far, but an injury like this could finally push Columbus to make a real offer.
Why the timing works for both sides
Montreal gains leverage the longer this drags out, since a desperate Blue Jackets team missing a backup goalie is far more likely to overpay than a team shopping in July.
Columbus, meanwhile, is under real pressure to compete now, with Zach Werenski's future uncertain and Kirill Marchenko's next contract looming.
A goalie with three straight seasons above a .900 save percentage suddenly looks very appealing.
What a deal could look like
Nothing is finalized, but the pieces are lining up for a blockbuster built around draft capital or a young roster player heading to Montreal in exchange for Monty.
If Merzlikins' recovery drags into the season, expect this to move fast.
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