Merzļikins spent several years playing hockey in Switzerland for HC Lugano, and was awarded the Jacques Plante Trophy as best goaltender in the National League in both 2016 and 2018. Drafted 76th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Merzļikins moved to North America in 2019 and made his NHL debut that year.
Internationally Merzļikins has represented Latvia at the junior and senior level in multiple tournaments.
In the 2015–16 season, Merzļikins enjoyed a breakout year after leading the league in saves (1,484) and ranking second in save percentage and fifth in wins with a 23–13–4 record in 44 contests. In the 2016 NLA playoffs, Merzļikins led HC Lugano to the NL final which they would eventually lose in five games to SC Bern.[3] He posted a .937 save percentage and 2.32 goals against average in 15 playoffs games. His standout season was acknowledged by claiming the Jacques Plante Trophy as the league's best goalie.[4]
On 22 June 2016, he agreed to a three-year contract extension with Lugano, without an NHL out-clause.[5] At the 2016 Spengler Cup, he was named to the tournament's all-star team.[6] In the 2017–18 season, Merzļikins captured his second Jacques Plante Trophy as the league's Goaltender of the Year after finishing fourth in wins and fifth in saver percentage with a 19–15–1 record in 40 contests.[4] Merzļikins returned for his sixth and last season under contract with HC Lugano in the 2018–19 campaign. He posted a 22–18–0 record with a 2.44 goals against average (GAA), .921 save percentage (SV%) and a career-high five shutouts in 43 games.[7]
Columbus Blue Jackets
At the conclusion of the season with HC Lugano, Merzļikins left Switzerland and agreed to immediately join the Columbus Blue Jackets for the remainder of their season, signing a one-year, entry-level contract, on 20 March 2019.[8] After his arrival he worked with the team during their run in the 2019 NHL playoffs.[9]
His NHL debut came on 5 October 2019 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Merzļikins allowed seven goals in the game, earning the loss.[10] He was sent down to the Blue Jackets American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, on 6 November, later making one appearance with the Monsters before returning to the Blue Jackets.[11][12] Towards the end of 2019, Merzļikins was not getting many starts, as he had yet to win a game in the NHL. Due to an injury to Joonas Korpisalo on 30 December, Merzļikins started the 31 December game and earned his first NHL win against the Florida Panthers, where he allowed one goal on 37 shots and helped Columbus to a 4–1 victory.[13] On 11 January 2020, Merzļikins recorded his first career NHL shutout in a 3–0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.[14] He finished the season playing in 33 games with a record of 13 wins, 9 losses and 8 overtime losses with 5 shutouts. The Blue Jackets made the 2020 NHL playoffs and were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round.[15] At the end of the season, Merzļikins was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team, the third member of the Blue Jackets to earn the honour.[16]
In the following offseason on 23 April 2020, the Blue Jackets signed Merzļikins to a two-year contract extension.[17] In the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season of 2020–21, Merzļikins played well with a 2.77 goals against average and a save percentage of .916, but the Blue Jackets could not score and the team missed the playoffs.[15][18]
During the offseason, while attending a 4 July 2021 party, an errant firework killed fellow Blue Jackets goalie, and Merzļikins' friend, Matīss Kivlenieks, a party that Merzļikins and his wife were also attending. Merzļikins stated that Kivlenieks had saved the lives of his wife and unborn son at the time.[19] Later that summer, on 21 September 2021, Merzļikins signed a five-year, $27 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets.[20] During the following 2021–22 season he struggled; he won more games than he lost, but his individual stats ballooned, with a goals against average of 3.22 save percentage of .907.[15] The Blue Jackets missed the playoffs again.[21]
In 2022–23 season, Merzļikins missed time with various injuries playing in only 30 games.[9] His statistics continued to decline, with a goals against average of 3.57 and a save percentage of .876.[15] The Blue Jackets again missed the playoffs, with goaltending now considered an issue for the team.[22] During the following offseason, the Blue Jackets terminated the contract of goalie coach Manny Legace and brought in a new coach, Niklas Bäckström, and tasked the new coach with getting Merzļikins back to the player he was in his first two seasons.[23]
Merzļikins was born in Riga, Latvia.[27] Merzļikins was named after Elvis Presley, of whom his father was a fan.[28] Merzļikins speaks Latvian, English, Russian and Italian. Merzļikins and his wife have one son. Their son is named after former teammate and countryman Matīss Kivlenieks, who died in a fireworks accident on 4 July 2021, protecting Merzļikins and his family.[29]
^ abUllman, Michael (22 June 2016). "Merzlikins at Lugano until 2019" [Merzlikins at Lugano until 2019]. FM1 Today (in German). Retrieved 8 September 2023.
