A new Merzlikins has joined the Blue Jackets family.
According to social media posts Thursday by Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and his wife, Aleksandra, the couple welcomed their second son, Jaxon John Merzlikins, into the world Sunday.
The baby required a stay in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for undisclosed reasons before going home with his parents. Merzlikins and his wife gave thanks to Riverside Hospital and Nationwide Children's Hospital doctors, nurses and staff. They also thanked Merzlikins' Blue Jackets teammates, coaches and staff along with the team's "special welcome home."
A family friend also got a shout-out for watching their first child, son Knox, while the couple and baby spent time in the hospital.
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"Thank you very much to @riversidehospital for taking amazing care of all of us, and especially (sic) huge thank you to all the nurses and doctors in the NICU department," Merzlikins wrote. "But the biggest thank you goes to my wonderful best friend in crime! @am.merzlikins Thank you for giving me another amazing and beautiful baby, you are the strongest and the best!"
According to Aleksandra Merzlikins' post announcing Jaxon's birth, the family's newest member was born at 10:59 a.m. Sunday.
"Sweet baby, you for sure came with a bang," she wrote. "Thank you to the amazing team at @nationwidekids NICU for taking care of our baby boy and making sure he's safe and stable to go home. ... Thank you to @merzly who has been a rock these past couple of days ... I could not have asked for a better partner to go through all of the rollercoaster of emotions – sorry for all the anxiety and stress."
As for hockey, Merzlikins returned to the Blue Jackets' net Thursday night at Nationwide Arena and played brilliantly against the Florida Panthers in a tough luck 1-0 overtime loss.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins and wife welcome second child
