The Blue Jackets continued to add via free agency on Wednesday afternoon. To add depth at the position, they have signed veteran goaltender Pheonix Copley to a one-year contract worth $850k against the cap.
Copley is a 34 year old that can best be described as a journeyman. After two seasons for Michigan Tech in the NCAA, he has played at every major professional level in North America.
Most of that time has been spent in the American Hockey League. He's accrued 312 games played across three organizations, posting a 169-104-40 record, with 18 shutouts. His goals against average in the AHL is 2.52, and he has a .909% save percentage.
Copley has also gotten into 78 games in the NHL, with the St Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, and most recently, the LA Kings. He's 44-17-8, with a 2.85/.898% stat line and three shutouts, in 78 appearances.
Just depth, or is there more to this signing?
The addition of Copley gives the Blue Jackets a little more depth at the goaltending position. They now have five goaltenders signed between Columbus and Cleveland next season, including both goaltenders who played for the Jackets last season.
Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins are slated to be the Blue Jackets' tandem once again. It's possible that they are joined by Copley, as the league has instituted a new rule requiring teams to carry their own "EBUG" on the active roster.
That would leave the Monsters with a tandem of Nolan Lalonde and rookie Evan Gardner. It's also possible that Copley could play in Cleveland, leaving Lalonde as the extra man in Columbus.
One other theory: could this signing signal the end of Elvis Merzlikins' time in Central Ohio? The team has been rumored to have him on the open market this summer, with some interest from around the league. We'll see where this goes.
David Pagnotta: Re Elvis Merzlikins/Blue Jackets: We're probably gonna hear his name floating around again - Daily Faceoff Live (6/22)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 24, 2026
For now, it feels like Don Waddell thought he needed to add one more experienced goaltender to the mix here. I expect Copley to fill the spot vacated by Ivan Fedotov's departure from the organization. Welcome to Columbus, Pheonix!
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