Bruins Goalie’s Resurgent Season Forces Tough Decision
When the Boston Bruins decided to part ways with goaltender Linus Ullmark in June, the trade itself didn’t come as much of a shock to most fans and analysts. What truly caught many off guard, however, was the destination: Ullmark was dealt to the Ottawa Senators—an intra-division rival in the Atlantic—and the return package Boston received was viewed as relatively underwhelming for a goalie of his caliber, especially a former Vezina Trophy winner.
In exchange for Ullmark, the Bruins acquired forward Mark Kastelic, generally seen as a fourth-line contributor, veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. That draft pick was used by general manager Don Sweeney to select promising young forward Dean Letourneau, who recently wrapped up his freshman season at Boston College. One of the main reasons the Bruins didn’t get more in return for Ullmark is that he was entering the final year of his contract and had no extension in place. He later signed a long-term deal with Ottawa early in the 2024-25 season.
Korpisalo arrived in Boston following a rough campaign with the Senators in 2023-24, where he finished with a 21-26-4 record, a 3.27 goals-against average, and an .890 save percentage. The idea behind acquiring him was that Bruins goaltending coach Bob Essensa could help rehabilitate his game. This past season in Boston, Korpisalo showed some improvement, posting an 11-10-3 record with a 2.90 GAA, a .893 save percentage, and three shutouts. Though the team in front of him was arguably no better than Ottawa’s, Korpisalo delivered better results and occasionally even outshone starter Jeremy Swayman.
However, his time in Boston began on a sour note. In his debut against the defending champion Florida Panthers, he gave up four goals in the first period and six total. Despite that rocky start, Korpisalo had flashes of brilliance throughout the season.
As the offseason begins, Korpisalo’s future in Boston is uncertain. He publicly expressed dissatisfaction with his limited playing time, and his agent made it clear to Sweeney: “Play him or trade him.” With a \$3 million AAV, keeping him on the roster might not be feasible—especially when similar production could come from cheaper AHL options like Michael DiPietro or Brandon Bussi. For a team looking to maintain flexibility under the salary cap and retool efficiently, moving on from Korpisalo could be the most strategic option.
