When the Boston Bruins traded goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators throughout the offseason, the group made a press release that they’d religion in Jeremy Swayman to be the full-time starter. Regardless of this, the group wanted some expertise behind Swayman to assist maintain him recent and permit him to comfortably play someplace within the realm of 55 video games. That is why the group took a flier on Joonas Korpisalo, who had struggled since becoming a member of the Senators and hadn’t discovered a lot success within the NHL exterior of his rookie season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the 2022-23 season cut up between Columbus and the Los Angeles Kings.
With Brandon Bussi deemed as a attainable NHL-ready candidate heading into the season, the addition of Korpisalo was a perplexing one, particularly given the wage cap restraints this could placed on the Bruins. Via coaching camp and the preseason, nonetheless, it turned obvious that Korpisalo was higher suited to the function than Bussi, who has struggled thus far within the AHL, holding a 1-4-0 file with a 4.09 goals-against common and .860 save proportion in 5 video games.
Bussi is an efficient goalie who will virtually actually discover his method to the NHL sooner or later, however because it stands, he’s presently being outplayed by Michael DiPietro in Windfall because the 25-year-old from Windsor, Ontario has a 5-2-0 file with a sterling 1.70 goals-against common and .936 save proportion. If one in every of these goalies have been to be recalled immediately for no matter purpose, it could in all probability be DiPietro. In the end, whereas Bussi excelled within the AHL final season, Korpisalo’s NHL expertise outweighed the uncertainty of potential.
To date, Korpisalo’s expertise has confirmed well worth the threat by way of six video games.
In six video games, Korpisalo has a 3-2-0 file (he got here in to alleviate Swayman towards the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 31, however the loss was credited to Swayman), with a 2.72 goals-against common and .900 save proportion. To place that in perspective, Swayman has a 4-5-2 file with a 3.13 goals-against common and .896 save proportion, whereas Ullmark in Ottawa has a 3-4-0 file with a 2.87 goals-against common and .890 save proportion. Korpisalo’s numbers might not be star-caliber, however they’re serviceable sufficient for a backup—particularly contemplating Swayman’s personal early-season inconsistencies.
Korpisalo’s Position an Vital One for the Bruins
Whereas there’s been an adjustment interval for the Bruins this season, and plenty of gamers (together with the group as an entire) have struggled to fulfill the constant expectations of a contender, Korpisalo has really exceeded early expectations. The veteran netminder isn’t in Boston to steal jobs and he in all probability isn’t going to be usually tasked with stealing video games. As a substitute, his job is to spell Swayman after just a few video games and permit him to relaxation earlier than reclaiming his spot on the bench.
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It’s an extremely essential job within the NHL and in addition a tough one given the truth that goaltenders sometimes do finest once they’re heat and might discover a rhythm; by solely taking part in one or two video games on the most each week, Korpisalo isn’t persistently being examined and discovering that rhythm. The Bruins have been spoiled in recent times with goaltending, however they’ve now discovered themselves again within the regular setup that the overwhelming majority of groups function inside. To Korpisalo’s credit score, he’s in all probability taking part in in addition to the Bruins might have presumably hoped for given the circumstances and given his forgettable 2023-24 marketing campaign.
The Bruins will proceed to lean on Swayman for almost all of their video games, and although issues aren’t trying good for the group as an entire proper now, it appears doubtless that they’ll discover their rhythm. When the Bruins hit their stride, Korpisalo’s steadiness as a backup might develop into an important x-factor of their playoff push because the group goals to as soon as once more compete for the Stanley Cup.