The Bruins are taking a big gamble on their recent trade acquisition.
The Boston Bruins made a massive trade right before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Original Six club dealt Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Joonas Korpisalo, Mark Kastelic, and the 25th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Most Bruins fans feel that the return for Ullmark is poor, and it is understandable. After all, Ullmark is a star and former Vezina Trophy winner.
However, the worst part of this deal is the Bruins acquiring Korpisalo. The Bruins likely had to do this to get the 25th pick, which was originally their selection. Yet, with this only being a late first-rounder, taking on Korpisalo's deal certainly has the potential to be a decision they will regret. This remains true even with the retention.
Korpisalo, 30, was one of the NHL's worst goalies last season with the Senators. In 55 appearances, he posted a 21-26-4 record, a 3.27 GAA, and a .890 SV%. This is not unfamiliar territory for Korpisalo, as he has had under a .900 SV% in three out of his last four seasons and five out of his last seven seasons. This is certainly concerning, especially with his cap hit and term.
Even with salary retention, Korpisalo will carry a $3 million cap hit for the Bruins until the end of the 2027-28 campaign. Thus, barring a sudden trade or buyout, Korpisalo's contract will be on the books for four years. He also creates a new obstacle to the NHL for the Bruins' top goalie prospect, Brandon Bussi.
The Bruins did not necessarily save a lot of money through this deal, either. As noted above, Korpisalo will carry a $3 million cap hit for Boston. Meanwhile, Kastelic has a $835,000 cap hit, which is reasonable for his bottom-six role.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney must be hoping that Korpisalo can regain his solid form from the 2022-23 season. In 39 games split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings, he had a 18-14-4 record, a .914 SV%, and a 2.87 GAA. It's what earned him his five-year, $20 million deal from the Senators last offseason. This risky gamble could be worth it if he can get back to playing like that.
It will be intriguing to see how Korpisalo performs from the Bruins following this move. Perhaps he could bounce back in a backup role and have a better defense in front of him, but this addition certainly should be raising some eyebrows right now.
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