The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation has named Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Elvis Merzlikins Goaltender of the Year at the Swiss Ice Hockey Awards. Merzlikins, goaltender for the Swiss National League A’s HC Lugano, received the award in a ceremony held August 5, 2016, in Berne, Switzerland. The other nominees for this award were Robert Mayer of Genève-Servette HC and Jakub Stepanek of SC Bern.
Congratulations to the Swiss League’s goaltender of the year! ?#CBJhttps://t.co/hfqRe5cKaF
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 6, 2016
Elvis Merzlikins Named NLA Goaltender of the Year
For the 2015-2016 season, Merzlikins served as the primary goaltender, helping to lead his team to a fifth place finish. In 46 games played, he had a 2.76 goals against average and a save percentage of .922. During a 15-game playoff appearance, he finished with a 2.32 goals against average and .937 save percentage.
This is Merzlikins’s second individual award. Following the 2013-2014 season, he was awarded Rookie of the Year at Swiss Ice Hockey Awards. The Columbus Blue Jackets originally drafted him in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, 76th overall.
Other winners at the annual Swiss Ice Hockey Awards are:
Most Valuable Player:Perttu Lindgren (HC Davos)
Youngster of the Year 2015-16: Auston Matthews (ZSC Lions)
Hockey Award 2015-16: Tobias Wehrli (Referee)
Main Photo:
Latvia’s goalie Elvis Merzlikins keeps his eyes on the puck during the group A preliminary round game Latvia vs Russia at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Moscow on May 9, 2016. / AFP / YURI KADOBNOV (Photo credit should read YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)
