COLUMBUS, Ohio — Various National Hockey League players are included on lists of the first six players proposed for the rosters on teams taking part in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, according to a post on the Olympics website.
That includes a player from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Elvis Merzļikins, goalkeeper for the Blue Jackets, was proposed for the preliminary roster of the Latvian team.
The 31 year old was picked by Columbus in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft. He was born in Riga, Latvia.
“The men’s tournament at Milano Cortina 2026 is scheduled to take place from 11 to 22 February 2026,” the post reads. “The competition will be held at two venues: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the main 14,000-capacity rink, as well as Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena with a capacity of 5,700.”