Elvis Merzlikins is off to a hot start at the IIHF World Championship.
The 22-year-old goaltender is a promising young prospect for the Blue Jackets (drafted in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft) and has spent all of his professional career in Europe, and for the next couple of weeks, is the leading man in net for his home country of Latvia.
In Latvia's tournament opener on Saturday afternoon in Cologne, Merzlikins pitched a 27-save shutout in a convincing 3-0 win over Denmark. It's early, but for the time being, Latvia sits atop its group with a +3 goal differential and 1-0-0 record.
Latvia is coached by longtime NHL coach Bob Hartley (most recently with the Calgary Flames until being fired last summer, a year after winning the Jack Adams Award) and features one full-time NHL player: Zemgus Girgensons of the Buffalo Sabres.
Merzlikins is expected to come to North America after his two-year contract with Swiss League club HC Lugano expires following the 2018-19 season. According to Swiss Hockey News, there is no NHL "out clause" in Merzlikins' deal with Lugano.
