Following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, it became evident that the Boston Bruins would need to part ways with their goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. General Manager Don Sweeney made the decision to trade Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, but the outcome left many fans puzzled.
In return for Ullmark, Sweeney acquired a 2024 first-round draft pick, forward Mark Kastelic, who has been integrating well into the Bruins’ fourth line, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. This trade was not well-received by Bruins fans at the time, and the situation has since been complicated by the Senators’ front office missteps.
Joonas Korpisalo’s contract has been labeled among the worst in the league. James Mirtle from The Athletic placed Korpisalo’s contract at the top of a ranking of subpar goalie deals. The Senators handed him a five-year, $20 million contract with an average annual value of $4 million. His performance has been underwhelming, particularly in the last season when he recorded a 21-26-4 record, a 3.27 goals-against average, and an .890 save percentage.
The Senators were eager to rid themselves of Korpisalo’s contract, and Sweeney stepped in to facilitate the deal. The Senators will retain $1 million of Korpisalo’s salary, leaving the Bruins to cover $3 million.
Boston is optimistic that goalie coach Bob Essensa can help Korpisalo regain his form. However, early results have been inconsistent over the first two games. While there is a potential buyout option for the Bruins, it seems unlikely to be exercised in the near future. Still, if prospect Brandon Bussi continues to perform well with the Providence Bruins in the AHL, Sweeney will face important decisions.
Sweeney had financial resources to allocate this offseason, but if the Bruins are to carry a $3 million hit for Korpisalo this season and possibly longer, it raises questions about whether retaining Ullmark might have been a wiser choice. For now, Bruins fans are hoping that Korpisalo plays fewer than 25 games in the 2024-25 season to avoid complications in their goaltending situation.