Daniil Tarasov was meant to be the Columbus Blue Jackets’ goaltender of the future. Now, nearly eight years after former general manager Jarmo Kekalainen selected the Russian goaltender in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft, it seems that window may have closed.
As a restricted free agent this summer, with just one more year before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, Tarasov is in an odd position. The best case scenario for the 26-year-old would be a short-term “prove it” deal with the Blue Jackets. From an organizational standpoint, though, it doesn’t make much sense at this point.
Better Options on the Depth Chart
Despite his disappointing play in recent seasons, one thing is clear between the pipes for the Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlikins is likely going to be on the team, for better or worse, until his contract expires. As a result, there’s only one roster spot for a goaltender that’s still up in the air for the next two seasons.
Tarasov could, in theory, fill one of those spots, but outside of a strong performance during the 2023-24 season, he’s left much to be desired during his time with the Blue Jackets. He had the opportunity to follow up on his strong performance this season, but was unable to. His 3.54 goals-against average (GAA) and .881 save percentage (SV%) cost the team critical points, which could’ve been the difference between narrowly missing out on the postseason and squeaking their way in.
Even though he occasionally plays very well, Tarasov is too inconsistent to be relied upon on a regular basis. Jet Greaves, on the other hand, has consistently performed at a high level for both the Blue Jackets and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. Although he’s had limited opportunities at the NHL level so far, it’s time for that to change. If Tarasov is still taking up a spot on the depth chart, it makes it much harder for Greaves to get the chance that he’s clearly earned.
Similar Historical Examples
The Blue Jackets have had many goaltenders follow a similar development path to Tarasov. While some of them have corrected course and carved out a role for themselves in the NHL, others were never able to do so.
The biggest example of a goaltender who was able to figure it out after leaving Columbus in recent memory has been Anton Forsberg. He was always phenomenal at the AHL level during his time as a Blue Jacket, but never shone when given a chance in the NHL. After short stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes, he’s carved out a role for himself with the Ottawa Senators.
At the other end of the spectrum, at one point, Oscar Dansk was a highly touted prospect for the Blue Jackets after being selected 31st overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. After just a single professional season with the Blue Jackets, split between their then AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, and the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, he moved on to the Vegas Golden Knights. A four-game stint with the Golden Knights during the 2017-18 season was the highlight of his time in the NHL. Since then, he’s become a staple in the AHL, but never truly lived up to his early expectations.
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Those two examples show the risk that comes with allowing Tarasov to depart the organization. While there’s a chance he never finds his footing and never gets another full-time opportunity in the NHL like Dansk, he could always turn it around like Forsberg.
The only thing that’s clear about the situation is that the Blue Jackets can no longer justify keeping Tarasov if it’s going to hold back a prospect like Greaves, who has earned an extended look at the NHL level.
