Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishCOLUMBUS, Ohio — Dean Evason arrives at most of his news gatherings with a barb, a shoutout or a one-liner for the assembled media or public relations staffers, but his post-practice chat on Friday was different. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-year coach wanted to clear the air.After Thursday’s comeback 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, in which Jet Greaves made 39 saves and was the game’s star, Evason was asked why Greaves, despite his strong numbers and the Blue Jackets’ chronically substandard goaltending, had been stuck with AHL Cleveland for so much of the season.“That’s a Don Waddell question,” Evason said, referring to Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell.Evason said he realized immediately that his answer could be construed in several different ways — none of them positive — and that he considered clarifying his comments before he walked away from the lectern and back into the coaches office, where his assistants and Waddell were gathered.“I knew as soon as I said it that it was going to create a storm,” Evason said. “I just want to clarify. I don’t read (our coverage), as you guys know, but I’ve been told that there’s some speculation on why I said it was a Don Waddell question.“I’m going to clarify that Don Waddell and I are 100 percent on the same page. We communicate about everything. There is not one point this season where I’ve asked for a guy to get called up and he said no. There’s not one point this season where he told me we were going to call a guy up and I said no.“The reason I said it is, I’m not talking about a call-up or a possible call-up two months ago right after a game. My focus is the hockey game and the hockey team. I simply (meant), ‘If you want to ask a question like that, that’s for Don.’ ”
Hear from Head Coach Dean Evason in today’s media availability⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FspexbSD5r
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 11, 2025Waddell did not respond to messages from The Athletic seeking comment, either after Thursday’s game or on Friday. But the question still stands:Why did the Blue Jackets stick with their struggling tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov as the team faded from a playoff spot in recent weeks? Between March 2 and April 6, the Blue Jackets went 4-11-1, the second-worst record in the NHL during that span.During those 16 games, Merzlikins went 3-7-1 with an .872 save percentage and 4.01 goals-against average, while Tarasov went 1-3-0 with an .880 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average.That’s not to mention some of the issues Merzlikins, who turns 31 on Sunday, has had recently with his temper — smashing his stick after allowing goals (vs. Colorado on April 3) and screaming at teammates during games (vs. Toronto on April 5).The AHL is not the NHL, of course. But Greaves, who has never looked out of place in Columbus, has been on a burner with AHL Cleveland since the middle of February. He was 8-3-1 with a .949 save percentage in his 12 outings before getting recalled on Thursday.Asked how much a Greaves recall had been discussed internally, Evason was vague.“We talk about all the players in Cleveland who are playing well or not playing well, about the projections (of a player), that kind of stuff,” Evason said. “When and if we need a call-up, then we discuss who that player is. It’s day by day, and it fluctuates.”Greaves is almost certain to start at 12:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday when the Blue Jackets host the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena. Merzlikins will not be in the lineup, Evason said, meaning that Tarasov will serve as Greaves’ backup.It’s not quite clear what’s going on with Merzlikins. On Friday, for a second straight day, he did not have a stall in the Blue Jackets’ dressing room.But that might indicate what it typically does — that a player is out with a long-term injury, or otherwise not in the team’s plans — because the Jackets dressing room is over capacity following the late-season addition of several players. It’s so crowded that forward Jack Williams is dressing in a temporary stall in the middle of the room.
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— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 10, 2025Merzlikins took part in Thursday’s morning skate, but left earlier than usual — even for that night’s starter — and was ruled out with an injury. That’s when the call was made to Greaves in Cleveland, who threw a pile of clothes into a suitcase and drove the 2 1/2 hours to Columbus.Evason was asked if Merzlikins was injured during Thursday’s skate, and after thinking for a moment, said, “Nope.”That would suggest that Merzlikins was trying to play through an existing injury when he skated on Thursday, as Waddell indicated to reporters on Thursday that Merzlikins was injured.Greaves, who has played in 158 AHL games over the past three seasons, has a one-way NHL contract for next season. Is he already getting a jump on next season? Nobody will say. The Blue Jackets play a back-to-back with Washington — they play in D.C. on Sunday — and Greaves is expected to travel with the club.Asked if Greaves has been told how long he’s staying, Evason said it’s “day by day.”(Photo of Jet Greaves: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
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