Blue Jackets make a move in goal

This just in, the Columbus Blue Jackets have placed goaltender Spencer Martin on waivers.

Check it out:

The 28 year old Martin has played in 13 games with the Blue Jackets so far this season, earning just three wins to go alongside a woeful 3.65 goals against average and sub-par .887 save percentage. Martin has split time in the crease with Elvis Merzlikins and, more recently, Daniil Tarasov. With Merzlikins requesting a trade from the team earlier this month, it was thought that Martin would remain with the club to provide some veteran help behind the 24 year old Tarasov but today's move casts some doubt on that strategy. 

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekkalainen has admitted that he's trying to find a fit for Merzlikins elsewhere in the league, but TSN reporter Pierre LeBrun reports that there's been virtually no interest in Merzlikins thanks in large part to his $5.4 million annual salary. The 29 year old Merzlikins is still on the books for three more seasons beyond the current campaign and he has been pretty mediocre for a couple years now. Sure, he's a fun and outgoing personality but being a 'good guy in the room' doesn't make for good goaltending, necessarily. The big Latvian has just eight wins in 24 starts this campaign and a 3.22 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. If the Blue Jackets are serious about moving him in a trade they'll likely need to eat a significant chunk of his contract or they'll have to sweeten the deal with picks and prospects.

Tarasov, meanwhile, looks like a solid option for the team both now and in the future. The 24 year old Russian has played just eight games and has some truly dreadful stats with a 4.09 goals against average and a .875 save percentage but he has shown flashes of brilliance at both the NHL and AHL levels. Analysts believe that if given the full reigns to the Blue Jackets' crease, he could emerge as a true #1 NHL goalie. His $1.05 million contract for the next two seasons is appealing, as well.