Following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, the Boston Bruins made a significant decision to break up their goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. General Manager Don Sweeney traded Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, but the return raised some eyebrows.
In exchange for Ullmark, Sweeney acquired a first-round draft pick in 2024, forward Mark Kastelic, who has integrated well into the Bruins’ fourth line, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. This return was not what many Bruins fans expected, and now the team finds itself dealing with the fallout from what many view as a misstep by the Senators.
Joonas Korpisalo has received criticism for his contract situation, which was ranked as the worst goalie contract by James Mirtle of The Athletic. Korpisalo has a five-year deal worth $20 million with an average annual value of $4 million. Unfortunately, outside of one solid season, his performance has been disappointing, culminating in a tough 2023-24 season where he posted a 21-26-4 record, a 3.27 goals-against average, and an .890 save percentage. The Senators were eager to move on from him, and Sweeney facilitated the trade. Currently, the Senators are retaining $1 million of Korpisalo’s salary, leaving the Bruins responsible for $3 million.
Boston is optimistic that goalie coach Bob Essensa can help improve Korpisalo’s performance. However, early results have been mixed after two games. While there is a buyout option available for the Bruins, it seems unlikely that they would pursue that option immediately. If Brandon Bussi maintains strong performance with the Providence Bruins in the AHL, it could lead to a tough decision for Sweeney.
Sweeney has made moves to allocate budget this offseason, but the commitment of $3 million for Korpisalo could complicate matters. Bruins fans are now hoping that their new goalie will see limited action—preferably fewer than 25 games in the 2024-25 season—to avoid any troubling situations in goal.