32 Thoughts: The Podcast - Hunka Hunka Burning Glove

Episode Date: December 8, 2021

Elvis Merzlikins joins the podcast! But before that, Jeff and Elliotte discuss the Jason Spezza suspension (00:01), player safety, changes in Philadelphia (12:00) and the Zegras to Milano goal (18:45).Then, Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins joins the guys (26:00) to chat about one of his career goals, how he became a goalie, some of the goaltenders he looked up to growing up, where he got his style when it comes to his equipment, why he doesn’t mind playing a bit of physicality, and what it means to him to play every game for Matiss Kivlenieks this season.Full transcript for the episode can be found here by Medha MonjauryOutro Music: Neon Veils - All The Time [High & Lonely Records]Listen to their full album hereThis podcast is produced and mixed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman.Audio Credits: Bally Sports Columbus, ESPN and Sportsnet.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Five, four, three, two, one. Let's go. Yeah. Elliot's the first podcast we've done in a while that doesn't start with the Vancouver Canucks. Welcome to 32 Thoughts to Podcast, brought to you by the all-new GMC AT4 lineup. We are talking about a six-game suspension to kick things off. Six-game suspension for Jason Spezza, for kneeing Neil Pionk. But is it going to really be a six game suspension, Elliot? You know what the joke was going around on Tuesday night

when word got out that Spezza planned to appeal? What's that? How long do you think it's going to take for this whole process to go? Answer, six games. I can think of one team that's not going to find that funny yeah i think we know which team that is first of all but the video the department of player safety put out was particularly interesting and how many times they mentioned the cba did you find the video interesting we get to the suspension but the explanation was interesting even going as far

as to mentioning what the maple Leafs took issue with. Actually, I like that. I like that. Why? Because if you go back a week to the Brendan Lemieux one, they did the same thing. Yeah. They said, here was Lemieux's defense, and here's why we don't agree with it. I actually like that level of transparency, and I wish it became a regular part of the deal.

Here's the argument, and here's why we agreed or disagreed. I think the more of that, the better. So I actually had no problem with it. I think there's a lot of angry people tonight. I think the Maple Leafs are angry. I think Spets is angry. I think the Jets are angry too. Number one, the Jets and the Maple Leafs are angry at each other. The Maple Leafs thought that the Jets kind of got away with murder the other night on Matthews, on Sandin. The Jets were angry at the Spets of play. They thought the Maple Leafs complained too much. Both teams were furious at the officiating.

They thought the officials let it get out of control. And as a matter of fact, what's interesting is that Tuesday night, tonight, as we just finished taping this carolina's ian cole was ejected for a knee-on-knee hit on mark shifley and the referee who made the call was reed anderson who also worked that sunday game between toronto and winnipeg so there were a lot of of angry feelings about this and you know obviously the story is not over i also understand that the maple leaves pointed out that their their two goaltenders uh were neat in the head on saturday and sunday night campbell against minnesota wool against uh winnipeg and there were no penalties but you know all of these arguments fell on deaf ears. The fact that Pionk is in concussion protocol and the Jets made sure everybody knew about that.

It's pretty obvious, Jeff, that there's a lot of bad blood coming out of this one and a lot of frustration with each other and the entire process. Speaking of the process, so what is the process now of appeal? How does this work for those that may not be familiar with it gary betman nhl commissioner gets you know first whack at this pinata correct yes and he has to do it i think within 48 hours i think it's what's called an expedited appeal so betman has to go within 48 hours if spetsa now he can increase the suspension if he wants to, although I don't know if that's ever happened. And then if Spatza doesn't like that ruling, then he can go to an independent arbitrator.

What do you think? What do I think? Like, what do I think of the hit, or what do I think of this entire process, or what do I think of the game? The entire process. Well, I don't think that Gary Bettman's going to go against his Department of Player Safety.

Nope. I can see that coming and so then it would then head to an independent arbitrator and personally i look at it and i say yeah that's a penalty they decide on six games okay it's a knee to the head of a player who's on his way down and i know the maple leaves can try to thread the needle and stick handle this one i think everybody knows what spezza was intending at that moment how many times have we seen a player say i got a shot at a freebie here i can get a really good lick in on a player who just did our defenseman dirty. I'm taking it, which is surprising considering it's Jason Spezza. You know, I think that that's one of the things that people look at and say, well, 1200 games and we have, you know, he's not that he's completely squeaky clean, but you don't expect that out of someone like Jason Spezza. But there it is.

And here we are. like Jason Spezza, but there it is. And here we are. I'm not going to complain about six games because I looked at the entire game and said, everybody was heated. There was no release valve moment to get some of the heat off of this game. And when that happens, then things like this happen. Like this is one of those to me, and this is for a bigger discussion i don't know if we have time or energy or desire to go down this road but this really winks at the idea that games need to be managed by the officials this is exactly the argument that i was going to make things need to be diffused whether it is you know the idea of just calling things by the book, period. I understand the logic in that. It sounds good, but from a practical point of view,

that's where you need to manage the game and do what's good to take the temperature down. And that didn't happen. I don't even think it's calling the rule book versus game management right i don't even look at it that way that's how the argument is formed the argument is sort of framed as you know whatever you see a penalty you just call it regardless of context versus we need to get a feel here and make sure that things don't get out of hand yes i agree with that completely now look i think spezza was going after him to hit him there's no question he at that point in time he thinks sandin is seriously injured and he's going for him right that's exactly what's happened and

toronto got some really good news on sandy and in the moment they thought it was a lot worse than it actually turned out to be but you know the whole thing i'm looking at here and we mentioned that anderson made the knee and call we've talked about how there's a real concern right now that with cross-checking not being allowed anymore being cracked down on the slew foots and the knees are going up right how many guys have we seen injured with knees this year drew dowdy was injured having said that i have a hard time making the leap saying like oh i can't cross check so i'm going to start sticking my knee out yeah that's fair like i mean that's certainly your opinion but people are making that point to me i think that it's up i just i'm not willing to

create an a to b relationship between we can't cross check. Therefore we're going to stick at our knees. I'm not there. That's fair. I've had it mentioned to me a couple of times, but that's fair. If you don't want to, if you can't, don't feel you can draw the line between here and there, that's fine. Would you agree we're seeing more bad kneeing plays this year? We're seeing more slew foots and more knees. Yes, we are. Got to stop it. Like the thing with Subban this week, he committed another slew foot. And, you know, one of the things I wondered, do you almost just have to suspend him now because it's too much? Like you just have to stop it.

And it was responded to me that you have to take every play individually. Is that a suspendable play? And the argument made to me is that you have to take every play individually is that a suspendable play and the argument made to me is that you have to decide if it's a suspendable play first and then the history comes into it and i'm like well if it's my kid obviously pk subban is not my kid but like if it's my kid yeah you know i would say say to them, no more benefit of the doubt. You're going into the corner. You're going to the room with no television, even though of course there's a television

in his room. I just look at this and I say, okay, we have to put a stop to this because people are getting hurt. So you just have to say, all right, we're going to correct this behavior. And the tough thing for me about that Winnipeg-Toronto game is it was a great game. It was a really good game. We don't have enough games like that anymore in the regular season.

Playoffs, no problem. But we don't have enough games like that in the regular season that are that hot, that grip you from minute one to minute 60 or longer. I agree it's a skill. It's a skill of you have to know when to say when. Like I knew the moment I saw it was Pionk that they were going to remember what happened with Marner last year because he ran at Marner on an empty net goal by Toronto and the Leafs were mad.

I just knew that one was going to escalate. The other thing you can do right now is, and I do think the officials should kind of use this even more, is you have the option to review a penalty. Like if the worst thing that comes out of that Pionk play is that you call a major and then you review it and you say, okay, it's not a major. We're going to drop it down to two. I still think it tones down the issue. So the official can use that tool that's available to them.

Why don't you think we see that used? They've reviewed a few. They've reviewed Ian Cole on Tuesday night in the Jets-Carolina game. I generally agree with a lot of sometimes referees miss the calls on ice, and that's what supplemental discipline is there for. I do think that can happen. I just think you can also use this tool. And I think on that night, if that tool had been used everything calms down i do agree that we're at a point now where the game is almost too fast to be called

quote unquote accurately or to anyone's pleasure at this point and it keeps getting faster and faster you know what might have been the smartest thing on Sunday night? What's that? I'm not sure Dubois liked it, but Maurice keeping him on the bench for the last 10 minutes. Yeah, because guys would have run at him. The Leafs were hot that night. They were hot. I still think when these two teams meet up again that someone's going to try to do something to Dubois for that.

Just like Wayne Simmons is going to try to get at Logan Stanley. It's coming a million miles away. Especially after Logan Stanley did the big celebration with the helmet going off the ice. It's too bad they don't play in the same conference like last year. They play great games against each other, Toronto and Winnipeg. They play fantastic games against each other. That's the other point that made this such a wonderful game is the fact that we're focusing on all the violence and the nasty play, but this isn't as if this is team 31 and 32.

These are two highly skilled teams too. To me, that's what adds an even greater element to it, that these are highly skilled teams. These are two of the best teams in Canada and, you know, two really good teams in the NHL here. And when you have that coupled with some good old fashioned hockey hatred, it can be more of that all day long. And I think everybody feels the same way. I don't think anybody likes to see players, you know, getting kneed in the head or knee-on-knee collisions. Like, there's a line. But when two high-list goal teams get mad at each other, yeah.

Because I still maintain, no one has ever said, I can't wait to go to this hockey game to watch these two teams respect each other. I assure you, no one has ever said that on way to a hockey game. Yep. Philadelphia Flyers. Elaine Vigneault fired. Michelle Terrien fired as well. Mike Yeo takes over as the interim head coach. It was just over a week ago that Chuck Fletcher said,

our answers are in that room. And then the Flyers went out and had a tough one against the Rangers, had an even tougher one against Tampa on Sunday I guess after that drubbing at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champions who had just played Boston the night before Chuck Fletcher had to do something Elliot you know we talked about this a little bit we taped last Sunday night we dropped it Monday morning then the change was made we kind of alluded to that game and how it was going to happen I had a really interesting call with someone

and he said to me and I checked this with a couple of people and they thought it was a really good comparison about how teams that had bad years last year if you didn't improve this year, everything that went wrong last year got reopened. Like if you look at Philly, because last year was a hell year because of the necessary COVID protocols, it was a really, really hard year. And if things went wrong in your organization, they went wrong in Philly, there was a split between the coaching staff and the players. And Chuck Fletcher worked

really hard to fix that in the offseason. And at the beginning of the year, Alain Vigneault was saying all the right things about Carter Hart, in particular, who was a player that they really asked him to manage his relationship with. And then all of a sudden, they started losing again. and then all of a sudden they started losing again, and you could see Vigneault and what he was saying. He was losing his patience, and the word was that the players were losing their patience. Like every grievance that got exposed last year and the teams that had, like,

it was hard to play last year if you were winning. Imagine what was happening if you were losing. And all the things that happened last year in Philly, they got ripped open again. Someone said to me, similar in Vancouver, that Vancouver had a really tough year last year. They had one of the worst COVID outbreaks in the league. The players complained about some stuff that happened during then. Now some of those players are gone, but there were some cracks last year. And you try to fix them, and you change your personnel,

and you come back this year, and you struggle again. And all those old grievances, they come up again. And there were a couple people who told me there were real similarities between Philadelphia and Vancouver in that. I think there's a decent chance. I always hate saying this, Jeff, because 15 minutes after this podcast drops,

I could be wrong. I think there's a decent chance that Mike Yeo finishes the season. I think there's some people behind the scenes that have made arguments for Boudreaux, who's now obviously gone. I think there are people who argued in favor of Tortorella.

I think there are people who argued in favor of Talkett. And I think Jim Montgomery's name came up too. But I think Chuck Fletcher wants to take his time if he can because, look, you've already made trades. You've already fired the coach. Now what? What if you have to make an even bigger move?

Do you take your time and say, do we pick our coach before we decide our direction you know you know chuck fletcher he wants to wait as long as he can and i think he wants to determine the direction of the team before he decides who his coach is going to be i do think they're looking to hire a defensive coach pretty quick and i think one of the people on their radar is adam foot oh really yeah um see i looked at this week and said like many of us this is going to be the make or break week for the philadelphia flyers now they've already you know started off by firing a coach and mike yo is in for now for the season we'll see i looked at this one and said we're going to get all of our answers at the end of this week.

Tampa was bad. The Colorado game was bad, but then the Flyers mounted a little comeback, ultimately falling short, and Colorado just took over the game. They'll play New Jersey. They'll play Vegas. They'll play Arizona.

And then they'll have a pause. I don't know. I mean, I'm trying to put myself in Chuck Fletcher's head here. they'll play Arizona and then they'll have a pause. I don't know. I mean, I'm trying to put myself in Chuck Fletcher's head here. Let's say they lose to the devils, lose to Vegas, lose to Arizona.

At that point, do you say we need to change the focus of the season? They're getting close, Jeff. I feel like I say this statement a lot, but the math isn't their friend. You know, someone was saying to me, I have to do the research on this, but doesn't it seem like there's a bigger separation

in records between good and bad in the league than there normally is? Florida's got four losses in regulation. Tampa's got five. Washington's got four the rangers have four calgary's got five and then look like arizona's got 18 losses in regulation vancouver's got 15 seattle's got 14 chicago's got 13 montreal is 18 ottawa has 16. Buffalo has 14. It just seems to me like there's more separation between good and bad than there is this early in the year. I could be totally wrong, but somebody was mentioning it to me.

Yeah, that there are already teams that are totally out of it. Like more teams, more teams that look totally out of it than we're used to seeing. But that's why I don't think that Chuck Fletcher is looking to rush to hire a permanent. I mean, it does look bleak. I mean, goal differential of dash 23. And you know what?

Their five-on-five save percentage was dead last in the league last year. This year, they're 18th. Like, if you would have told me that, I would have thought they would have been okay. We talked about this last time. It's the first time that the flyers are in trouble and it's not because of the goaltending.

Yeah. Even though Carter Hart had a tough one against the, the Colorado avalanche. Speaking of goaltending, should have mentioned this earlier. Elvis Merzlikens is on the program today. He's great. And man,

am I glad we talked to him on Monday. This is a dynamite interview with some great questions by me. And Elliot asked some as well. Listen, I think he's one of the most interesting, not just goaltenders in the NHL, but people and players in the entire NHL. And do yourself a favor, stick with the podcast until we get to Elvis,

because this guy will not disappoint. There's some really good stuff in here. But Zgris and Milano. So as people pointed out to me on Twitter, I can't remember whether I said it on the podcast or on the radio show that I was getting bored or I'm already bored of the Michigan play. And this was Trevor Zegers saying, Oh yeah,

you're bored of the Michigan play. Watch this. Raquel, Raquel will skate that down. He's got Zegers behind the net. He knows he's there. He goes right to him. Zegers here. He can, Oh, look at net. He knows he's there. He goes right to him.

Zegers, here he can, oh look at this! Oh, it's in! Oh my goodness, what a goal! The magic of Trevor Zegers. It looks like he was going to try the Michigan play. Instead, he lobbed it off the back of Ukko Pekka-Lukkonen. We gotta watch this one again. Wow.

As you can see here, he's behind the net. It looks like he's going for the old Michigan. He brings it up. Miller goes to knock it off. He shoots it in front. Oh, what a pass to Milano. Wow. And you can see Zegers too.

He grabs his head. Look at him. He's like, I can't believe it actually worked. Listen, we've all seen the highlight by now. It's a glorious play from behind the net. Like we've seen Pavel Datsuk flip the puck from behind the net. We've seen a lot of players try flipping the puck behind the net. This one is the Michigan that gets tossed out and then bunted in the net by Sonny Milano.

If you can recall, by the way, Sonny Milano. If you can recall, by the way, Sonny Milano, if you go back to his draft year, there was a video of him bouncing pucks all up and down the shaft of his stick, the toe of his stick, the heel of his stick, the full blade up and down. This guy is, he's like a Pavel Barber trick shot guy too, with elite level skills and vision.

And as we saw on Tuesday night, creativity. What did you make of the latest improvisation around the Michigan? So they told Ryan Callahan after the game that Milano was yelling, Michigan, Michigan, as Zegers was behind the net with the puck. So awesome. It was actually pretty funny when I got it behind the net,

I realized I had a second and Sonny was actually calling for it. He was actually pretty funny. When I got it behind the net, I realized I had a second. And Sonny was actually calling for it. He was yelling Michigan. So I ended up just flipping it over the net. And, I mean, he's got great hand eye, and he did the rest. That was unbelievable. And as we see it on the monitor here, I don't know if you can't see it through my monitor. But as you can see, you flip it over.

Now, was your original thought is I'm going to do the Michigan? Or he changed your mind when he started calling for it? When he started calling for it, I don't know. It was just one of those things where I thought maybe I could flip it over to the net and either hit off the goalie's head or he'd whack it in. I mean, he's an unbelievable player with great hand-eye coordination. So they knew what they were doing. You know what Zegers is right now?

He is must-see television. When he is on, I have to watch on i have to watch i have to watch him play because it's not only that he is so talented it's just that like mcdavid's talent is something a little different he uses his speed and every time he touches the puck you're electrified because you're wondering how quick he's going to do something and how many people he's going to embarrass while he's doing it like his his goal against the rangers to me is still the number one goal of the year what can you say that is absolutely outstanding the pressure the bar by there is he pitches in the car mcdavid's got to wait here he

wants to drive it right back into the zone. He looks up. He waits. He waits. He waits. And then he puts the Jets on. Look at this. Talk about stick handling in a full boot.

What a move around Georgia to finish it off on the biggest night this year with number four going to the Raptors. You just knew that Connor McDavid was going to make a statement. What a goal. knew that conor mcdavid was gonna make a statement what a goal but zegras i'm addicted to him for a different reason because he's sort of like in the regular flow of play like mcdavid's kind of does things like in a hockey context i don't know if i'm explaining this right i know what you're trying to say and i'm gonna hopefully phrase it a little better if you like yeah i think zegras what he does is he does things that aren't really in a hockey context that are like trick shots

and he makes them look normal and sensical. So I remember watching Connor McDavid when he played in the GTHL. His minor midget year, he played on a stack team. Josh Hosang was on that team. Sam Bennett was on that team. Roland McEwen, Jaden Lindo, Jeremiah Addison. Like it was a stack team. And McDavid was a year younger than everybody else.

And I remember watching him play and he was the best player on the ice, but he looked like a pro. Like everything he did was a faster than everybody else, but they were pro style plays, right? Meanwhile, Josh Hosang was the guy who would grab the puck, deke everybody out and then regroup in the neutral zone so he could do it again before he went and took a shot on net. And when I see McDavid, I see overwhelming skill, but he has a pro style poise. When I look at Trevor Zegers, I see a highly skilled kid who's having fun and who's out there trying stuff. Might come across like I'm insulting him somehow by saying,

oh, he's not behaving like a pro player. They're just different styles. And to me, Zegers looks like he's a kid saying, let me see if I can do this. Let me see if I can try this. Like there's an excitement in both, but there's like, McDavid knows what he can do and does it. Like when he imposes his will, he just does it. It seems as if Zegers has a curiosity about not just his game,

but the game. And he's saying to himself, I wonder if I can do this. And then he tries it at the NHL level, Elliot. That's what's spectacular to me. I saw the goal against Loken and the Sabres, and I thought, wow, that's amazing. And then I paused for a second. I said, I just saw that in the NHL. Someone tried to do that in the NHL. That to me is mind boggling. But he looks like a kid trying stuff.

That's how I see the difference between the two. And they're both must watch TV for different reasons for me. You're right. It was better than how I phrased it. Listen, they're two of my favorite. Like they're all like everybody loves these guys. Yeah. And I love Seegers. I watch a lot of Ducks games favorite. Like they're all like, everybody loves these guys. Yeah. And,

and I love Seagrass. I watch a lot of ducks games. I like a lot of like, I appreciate everything that Trevor Seagrass does much in the same way. I love watching a guy like Isaac Lindstrom, you know, like I love watching a guy like Hampus Lindholm much. Like I love watching Ryan gets laugh,

protect the puck and slow the game down to feather gorgeous passes as we're all screaming, shoot, shoot, shoot. I find the ducks to be a fascinating team and Zegers is a kid having fun. And what's next. I don't know.

That's the fun. That's the fun. I know it's great. What's next. What's next on this podcast is a quick break. And when we come back, you'll hear Elliot and I in conversation or someone else who's having fun out there uh in nets on the mic getting inked up designing his own pads and talking about life as a goaltender elvis mers-lickins of the columbus blue jackets Elvis, thanks so much for joining us today.

This is a real treat, and we're going to talk plenty about goaltending. But before we get there, I want to open up with one very specific event. And we don't necessarily see this in a goaltender's bag of tricks. Some call it the bump back. Some call it the cold shoulders. Some call it the Forsberg. Can you tell us your thoughts on your body check to Jonathan Dallin in the San Jose game, which really was a thing of beauty? send it towards the net now behind the defense racing for it here comes elvis out throws a bit of a hip check and he gathers it from the crowd elvis not afraid to throw a little hip check there as they fought for the puck behind the columbus net times it perfectly spins off there good play

by elvis merzlikens to protect that puck. He knew what he was doing. Yeah, you know, like, I remember my first year when we played in San Jose. They rimmed the puck pretty slowly. And, you know, you can't just go in the corner and play it. So, I remember it happened to me in San Jose that

the puck was going slow. And then I had to back run in the net and then try to do some miracle saves or whatever but uh this time it was kind of same situation the puck was slow but he was already there and uh that was the moment when in my head I said oh what I'm gonna do and then I just tried to push him somehow. Yeah, it happened pretty, pretty. It was a great, listen, it was a great hit. Like it was totally unexpected.

I don't think Dalin expected it. Have you ever done that before? Yeah, I did a world championship once against Fiala. I remember in the back of the net. But I'm afraid to get two minutes, you know, you don't want to get two minutes. but I'm afraid to get two minutes. You know, you don't want to get two minutes. So you kind of have to even simulate it,

that that was just contraction, right? That you didn't hit him, that you didn't do that on purpose. So, yeah, I had to do that. You know, Elvis, I was mentioning to someone that we were going to be talking to you, and this is what they told me. They said, here's the list. Billy Smith, Ron Hextall, Chris Osgood, Martin Brodeur, Damian Rhodes, Jose Theodore, Evgeny Nabokov, Mika Naronin,

Chris Mason, Cam Ward, Mike Smith, and Pekka Rinne. That's the list of goaltenders who have scored in an NHL game. And he said, I will bet you anything you want, that by the time that Elvis Merzlikens is done in the NHL, his name will be on that list. True or not? Yes, I will. I will because I'm going to go for it. Career in the NHL, there are still so many years.

I have a good feeling. feeling I got good feeling for this season no promises obviously I need the chance I need that the right moment but I'm gonna go for it and even if I'm gonna do it my first one I'm not gonna stop so now the fun part starts you know I have that confidence now obviously is depending it's depending even on what games. Like last night, I had the chance, but the puck wasn't flat on the ice, right? So I had to rim it. And obviously, I rimmed it. And that was a bad rim because the puck went out of the standings,

in the standings, and the faceoff was in our zone. So they pulled out the goalie. So that wasn't the right move. But still, I couldn't shoot that puck. that wasn't the right move but still you know i couldn't shoot that puck it wasn't the perfect time in the perfect moment so uh i'm looking for that and obviously i'm gonna go for it so it's awesome do your teammates know this and have you ever told like hey jake bean if i have a shot at it pass me the puck for 30 seconds left the net's empty i want you to pass me the puck they will not pass

it i did that already in switzerland i asked it for a pass uh i got a shitty pass in switzerland so who was it that was in switzerland back in lugano okay i mean they know they have kind of idea but as well they can't just stay on the blue line right what if i'm not shooting and i'm rimming and the puck they have to be back there right the only thing is card when you get the puck the demons come to you and they are on your way some of defensemen now they understand that i'm going for so they they give me some space but uh it happened to me that i had perfect timing perfect and then my demon was just straight skating on me. And yeah, I was a little mad.

But that was in Lugano as well. Then I remember I was really mad after the game. What would Brad Larson think if he's watching and you guys say have a one goal lead in a big game and a defenseman passes it to you and you shoot it? What's Brad Larson going to gonna react like in that kind of situation i don't think they would ever do that even i i would not shoot the puck if it's an important game we're just about winning for one goal right leading just by one i would not risk it that

but if we are by two why not yeah i'm going for or now early this season there is no really that important games right for playoff spot or whatever obviously every single game is really important but they are not that important like maybe in end of the season when there is all decisions right so uh i will not risk it but right now yeah why not have fun i love it good luck to you thank you love to see you thank you so Love to see you. Thank you. So Elliot gave you a list of goaltenders. I'm curious about another list of goaltenders. Who are the goalies you had posters of when you were a kid in your bedroom?

Marc-Andre Fleury, Carey Price, Turco, Kiprasov, Luongo. But there I had cards, the Upper Dink ones. I didn't have the poster, but those are my legends, my idols of who I'm watching

and even right now playing in the same league with them, like Fleury and Price. It's just beautiful to see

and learn how example Price and Fleury is handling the puck. I think last year the playoffs,

even the fuck-up is going gonna happen and then when flurry did that fuck up i mean that's totally normal that was just one mistake but how much he helped his teammates his defensemen to play that puck to get out of the zone that was much more comfortable hockey game for vegas defensemen, right? So it's beautiful to see those guys, how they are playing with the puck, how they're handling. And my first year when I was here,

it was a little panic moment because the rink is small. The players are quicker. They are quicker there to you. You don't have that much time. Price and Fleury, for example, they have all big experience in this league and they feel comfortable in the back of the net right so uh it's beautiful to see how they're playing and

and i think playing with the years i'm just gonna get as well that confident as they are like i'm wondering have you ever had a chance to talk to either one of them have you ever picked their brain on because the one thing about flurry that stands out in comparison to you i think elvis is you guys will make crazy saves when making it the right way or the way you're taught isn't possible so i wonder if you guys ever talk about philosophy or the way you guys prefer to play i never had a chance to meet them, to talk to them. I don't have even anybody who is kind of friends

with them, you know. But I know my agent has Price. I didn't have, I asked him if there's any chance to, you know, hang out with Price. But that was all before when I came to NHL. And obviously that was summertime and how he told me NHL. And obviously, that was summertime.

And how he told me that prize in summertime goes somewhere away from city, somewhere in woods or whatever. I know that he likes the fishing and all that stuff. So I didn't have a chance to meet neither of them. But yeah, the career is long here. So I hope, looking forward to see one day to meet them and talk to them about our goalie life, right? About our goalie stuff and see what I can steal from the great goaltenders as them. You know, becoming a goalie is usually an interesting story as well.

How old were you and why did you want to get into goaltending? I didn't want it. I was a defenseman first when I was seven or eight. But I really didn't understand my role. I was going forward to score goals. I was going back to be a defenseman. And when they were shooting, I was catching the puck. I was everywhere. So I didn't really understand what's going on.

I thought that a hockey player, there's just a hockey player. There is no big role, right? My goalie was all the time pissed because I was going against him, like skating backwards, and I didn't know how to look on back when I was skating.

So when the team was attacking, I was playing as a goalie. When I had the puck, I was going as a forward. I was selfish, no passes, just go by myself. And then after that tournament, I remember a goalie coach came to my mom and asked her if I want to try to be like a goalie. And he even didn't ask. He just told my mom that he wants that I'm going to be a goalie.

And that's how everything started. So you were seven years old when that happened? Did you like goal? I like it because when I played soccer with my brother and his friends or I played roller hockey, obviously the youngest goes in the net. Yeah. I had really no choice. So I was always goalie.

They were hammering that ball. I remember I was in the net standing with the tears because it was painful. They are much stronger than I am, and I was much more skinnier and tinier than they are. And it was painful to catch those balls against my chest or shoulders, you know. But I got used to it and I wasn't any more afraid from the balls when they were flying and yeah I just tried it and I love it you know Elvis your story is incredible a few years ago Tom Reed of the Athletic did a really deep dive into your past and And it was an incredible story. And I remember when you were drafted in 2014, seven and a half years ago, someone said to me,

wait, you don't know who this person is right now, but you will. And when you look at your life journey from, you know, Latvia to Switzerland, to the national hockey league, what are the things that you remember most?. What are the things that you remember most

and what are the things that you're proudest about? The help of the people who they gave it to me and the love. In Latvia, starting there, my mom, we didn't have really nice life material-wise. She was all the time fighting for finding some money for bringing me to hockey then when i moved to switzerland alone because my mom obviously she couldn't afford that she

sent me alone to the switzerland when i was 15. living there in a family who took me in it was again a huge help obviously for hockey club lugano who who gave me dedication and all that stuff the school the living life and everything food and everything i think this is are the most important people who who were helping me in my career obviously then there is a different parts as coaches m Mongoli coaches and all those guys, even school teachers. Those people, they build me. They build me, they're helping me.

And that's what I'm saying. They've given me the love of what I really appreciate. And without their help, I would never ever would be here where I am right now today. Well, your mom worked hard, obviously. And the stories of you working harder, sort of legendary as well. I spoke to now today. Well, your mom worked hard, obviously. And, you know, the stories of you working harder, sort of legendary as well. I spoke to someone today and said, what should I know about Elvis?

And he said, he'll work out until he throws up. Is that still true, Elvis? Yes, it's never enough for me. Like example yesterday, we win the game, we should be happy. I mean, the guys are happy. I'm happy, yes, but I'm pissed off because there was bad goals and I

hate when there is tips, right? Why I can't save the tip? Obviously, it's hard to save the tip, I'm honest. But at the same time, I had to give hard time to myself because I want to be better. I want to avoid those tips I want to catch them I want to save them

but then realistically you think you don't have that time always to save that thing but I don't care find the time this is how I talk to myself I always give hard time maybe it's because I grew up like this. I saw my teammates, goalies, who had always new pads, new helmets, new sticks.

I was playing until 14, 13 years old. I was playing in the net with a player helmet. I didn't have my goalie mask. Wow. And seeing other boys that they ask, Daddy, I want a new stick. And Daddy just goes there and buys him a new stick. And my mom, she couldn't. I had one stick for three years.

That's how I played hockey. And I couldn't afford it. And I think that was what built my character and my swagger, that I don't want to, it's never going to be enough for me. I want more. I know that I can get more. I know that I can be better. And I know there are so many more goals to reach that I had to go there.

And when I'm going to reach them, there's going to be another new one goal to go. And I'm going to work my ass off to go there and get that new one. So who is the person around you now, Elvis, who says, okay, okay. I understand you have high standards and I understand you really care,

but come on, let it go. Move on to the next one. Who's that person? Honestly, I don't, I don't have friends like this because otherwise they would not be my friends. My mom is, I would say my mom is the first one who is giving me shit.

So I found my wife who is my mom giving me all the time shit. giving me all the time shit uh so you know this i don't know even if i have in my life or i know someone who is talking like this to me because if so uh i'm sorry this is gonna be like your last talk to me because i mean i'm not gonna consider you as my i'm not gonna let you into my life because i don't want that i don't want those softness, you know. Like I remember my first game in national team. It took me three years to win a game in national team tournament. And I remember I won in my game, my first game. I walk out of the arena and there was little fans that asked for pictures and signatures.

I was smiling and signing everything and making pictures then i went to my mom who were standing there and she asking me what are you smiling who are you like a superstar what i was like what i win my first game come on be happy yeah good job next day next morning she brought me a gold medal with breakfast and i was like what are you doing why gold medal oh you're a superstar you finally won your freaking game and now you're you're going you're going to your fans smiling and all that stuff on the other side i'm thinking mom i mean i played really great i deserve it and i win my first game finally but my mom is my mom I mean I love her that's why it's probably I'm here where I am she grew me up like this tough time and I love that I love to

having all-time tough time obviously you you need the compliments and you need to feel it and understand that yeah you're good you're doing good job but I think too much uh it's better to feel that that pressure i think and it's better to feel something where you where you where you did a mistake or something so you can get better i want to ask you about your style because you have some of the most i know you're a big ink guy um but your pads your gloves i mean they I mean, they're gorgeous. Where do you get your style from? You mentioned growing up, everybody else is getting new equipment all the time. You're playing with the same stick for three years.

Where does this elite-level style come from, Elvis? I think this is the, how do you say, creativity in my head. Creativity? Yes. Thank you. my head creativity yes thank you uh when i sleep usually i try to imagine uh my new tattoos or my new mask my pads i try to design in my head all that stuff and see how it goes some ideas i i see maybe in the past some ideas and i'm more than happy to bring it back because I know the normal person white person is not going to do that so I knew that the baby blue color is going to be just that's going to be so Elvis to bring it back I remember that there was a goalie in past here in Columbus that had the

baby blue pads as well so I thought that's pretty cool idea example this year to bring back the baby blue and have those baby blue pads for third jersey. I love it. Otherwise, with Bauer right now, with the graphics, what they're doing, there is good graphic guys even if we're working in offices that they're doing a great job. I was going to say the Bauer DigiPrint graphics are gorgeous. I know there's some things you can't do, the NHL won't allow, but if you could do anything with your pads, what would you put on them?

Till right now, till this moment, I was doing always what I wanted. I have no clue what NHL doesn't let you to do. But till right now, I was doing everything what I wanted. I never had an answer no. The barber sends me maybe five, six different sketches. And from those five different, six different sketches, I build one. And I ask him how it looks. And then I see if I like it or not.

Well, I'll tell you, Grant Fuhrer once wanted to have, was it Pepsi? I can't remember. It was a cola. It was some type of soft drink to make his pads look like Pepsi cans. And the NHL shot that one down. Have you ever thought about doing something like that? It doesn't make any

sense to make my pads like Pepsi cans. I mean, without respect, without respect, if I was playing beer league, then I would do the Bud Light, right? There is no really sense to make an NHL something like a patchy. You know, Elvis, I did want to ask you about your dedication of this season to Matisse-Clevelenics.

And I don't really know if there's a question I want to ask because I want you to say it in your own way. But when you and your teammates play this year, how do you honor him and how much do you still contact his family and basically your memories of him and how you honor him and your teammates honor him? I play every single game for him. Obviously, like bad night in Nashville, in my head, I said that that was just me. I wasn't playing for him because I want to always make beautiful

and pretty games for him. He was my brother and such a great person who I really miss every day. And his family, I keep in touch all the time with them, with his mom. She is always after every win or loss or whatever. She is texting me because in the news back home in Latvia, they are watching news in the morning, right? So they know how I played, if I win or lose the game. His little sister now became my little sister.

I keep in touch with her all the time on the phone. Sometimes she calls me even on facetime so it's nice and obviously uh i'm gonna take care of her till my last day i mean she's gonna be in my life now from this year obviously i never met them before but uh right now from from now uh she's gonna be always in my heart. She's going to always, if she's ever going to need help, she's going to have that one for me and obviously my wife as well. We are really good relationship.

I'm not that often in Latvia but for sure every single time that I'm going to be in Latvia, I'm going to go visit them. We were thinking, she loves the little sister she loves the united states and uh we were thinking with uh with my wife how to maybe make her summer vacation and bring her here to to our place and stay maybe a while with us because

she really likes it she told us that in the future she wants to come here and study as well. So we had to make that happen as well. You know, that's a beautiful story. And I'm sure that, or maybe you don't, but do you have a sense of how many people right now are cheering for you, that support you, that are in your corner just because of your entire story I mean I see that and I see that I really appreciate it for really for all help from the day when it happened so now did it I feel that the people are close to me and especially in Columbus the people are really lovely they understand some

of them understand of what shit summer i had uh from what i went through uh from bad to beautiful it's nice to see such a good people and but what is really nice it's not just about columbus people but there is some other fans of other teams that were texting me and supporting me. And this is really nice to see how some of the people are nice. Obviously, everybody heard about the guy from Dallas. Obviously, there are some idiots as well in this world. But those people you just ignore.

Some people they don't understand or they don't care or they're just stupid and that's it but the most of the part it's really nice and beautiful again to see and obviously not just for me but even my wife realized that just from our neighbors who were bringing out to us the food and breakfast and all that stuff it's it's really beautiful and we obviously appreciate that stuff. It's really beautiful. We obviously appreciate that. Just last one for you, Elvis, is you guys are right in the race. You've had a good start.

And the thing I like most about Columbus as an organization is there's a real attitude of you might not think a lot of what we can do, but we think a lot of what we can do. And I think that comes from the, the GM on down Kekulonan's like that. Brad Larson's like that. Obviously you're like that. Boone Jenner's like that. Like a lot of your players up and down, or you may think we're not much, but we think we're a lot. And I'm really impressed by how hard you guys play. And just a thought about the, we're going to show you attitude of the Columbus Blue Jackets this season.

I think if you play and it's not about just you play. I think if you are in that locker room as a family, I think the family is much more stronger than maybe a superstar names. Right. Like example, the first year when I came here we had such big names in team right all of them they were injured and there was a one moment before the game that they realized like holy crap here is all Cleveland monsters team almost hmm and we were winning the game we were just going out there doing our job if you were making a mistake i would have your back right and if i was making mistakes you would have my back and that's

how it worked and we were playing really well and this year uh we have a new team we are young team and uh what we are doing we are just family uh we are we are trying and we are doing. We are just family. We are trying and we are doing our best and we are working really hard. And obviously we are having fun. That's the most important thing. And it's fun to watch and you're a wonderful team and you're a tremendous goaltender and it's been a real delight catching up with you.

Best of luck the rest of the way with the Blue Jackets and fingers crossed. I mean, you're someone that makes it easy to cheer for. Thanks so much for doing this and best of luck, Elvis. We really enjoyed this. Thank you very much, guys.

Thank you. And there he is, Elliot. I'll resist saying Elvis has left the podcast, but Elvis Merzlikens of the Columbus Blue Jackets. In our preseason polls, and I'm still sticking to it, I called for Igor Shcherkin to win the Vesna. That's what my head tells me,

but as I've been saying to you here, there, and everywhere, my heart is with that guy. My heart is with Merzlikens. I really want that guy to be successful. I want him to win the Vesna. I think Shisterkin wins it, but my heart says I want Merzlikens to win that trophy this season. I look at it this way. Until Shisterkin comes on this podcast and gives us a better interview than that, I'm not rooting for him.

Okay, we know who you'll be voting for. okay we know who you'll be voting for taking us out is victoria's dustin mclean of the wicks a band we featured in season three of the podcast dustin is back with his new act neon veils from his debut record here's neon veils with their title track all the time on 32 thoughts of the podcast. That's it. You and some gonna need you all the time Gonna take you till the boat sets out Welcome to the golden age Through the gold leaves Our fighting tongues In the mighty river Black city of corn River of pestilence

Our rebellion New and Bye. Like a flying car