Goalie Keeper Choice

[LordoftheRinks]

I'm looking for a sanity check...I just took over a team and I need to decide between Merzlikins and Blackwood in an existing keeper league. It's a 16-team H2H league with goalie cats of W, GAA, SV%, SHO. I have Shesterkin as my #1 and need to keep either Merzlikins or Blackwood as my #2. Both are 'meh' in my opinion but I'm intrigued with NJD potential this year with the moves they've made. I iike Merzlikins, but the team in front of him just seems to get worse each year. Am I correct in thinking that Blackwood will be a better play with my scoring cats this season?

Also, note that goaltending is my one area of potential need...but for a 16-team league, it isn't horrible and my skater depth is pretty good (Draisaitl, Kucherov, Landeskog, Pettersson, Q. Hughes, Hedman, Theodore) for a league of this size. So, while I don't need to win every goalie category, I just need to make sure I don't lose every goalie category. I could try to swing a deal for an upgrade but I'll pay a premium over cost.

I also have Kahkonen on my minor roster that will help with spot starts.

Insight appreciated...

[Russian Rocket 10]

These two are so close, IMO.
I might choose Blackwood, but I wouldn't criticize you for taking Elvis.
I'm thinking NJ has the better chance at getting more wins, if anything.

[senryu]

It's a close one. As Russian Rocket 10 notes, NJ's team situation is better. But Blackwood is going to be the 2nd highest paid goalie on his team for the next two years, which suggests some level of time-sharing. Merzlikins' recent 5 year big money commitment seems to give some floor, but if Columbus isn't running a defense-first system, then it is hard to say where the wins will come from.

With two of your categories being percentage categories, I'm leaning Blackwood. With Shestyorkin you're going to be getting good numbers, so the perhaps 1 or 2 starts a week from Blackwood probably won't disrupt your percentage categories. But either choice would make sense to me.

[Pengwin7]

Not close for me.
Blackwood - NJ could be very good in two years.
CBJ, I think, is 4 years away from playoffs... unless they can sign Barkov & Laine together this offseason (which is possible).

[LordoftheRinks]

Not close for me.
Blackwood - NJ could be very good in two years.
CBJ, I think, is 4 years away from playoffs... unless they can sign Barkov & Laine together this offseason (which is possible).

That's my feeling as well...the short-term future is brighter in Newark than Columbus. I believe Blackwood was left out to dry more often than not last season because there just wasn't a plan B. This shouldn't happen this season.

[stevegamer]

I prefer Elvis, since I think he's the better goalie, and has a more secure hold on the starting job - also a better name, but that's not helping his stats. That said, I can't fault you for going the other way.

[chuckcouples]

Elvis Merzlikins

People don't give the BlueJackets front office enough credit. They know what they are doing and they will be a much better team much quicker than people expect.

[Darkwing Puck]

Don't know if you've made your choice yet, but it's just come out that Blackwood is unvaccinated, which is going to affect his ability to play in Canada.

[LordoftheRinks]

Thanks for the update! Unbelievable...this does change things.

[Blues_fan1000]

maybe im also remembering this incorrectly, but doesnt blackwood get hurt every season? i'd prob lean Elvis here

[StuM]

I like Elvis here. Better Goalie, vaccinated and I don't think Columbus will be terrible.

[random-d]

I like Blackwood for this year. I'm pretty certain Tarasov is going to be the goalie of the future in Columbus so Elvis will eventually leave the building.

Also I don't think the vaccination status of Blackwood is a major concern, they're not going to be playing that many games in Canada that Bernier wouldn't have started anyway.