By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
If the Boston Bruins are going to make the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, excellent goaltending is going to be needed. The Bruins have their top goaltender with Jeremy Swayman, but Joonas Korpisalo has seen more downs than ups this season. With 11 games remaining for the Bruins in the 2025-26 National Hockey League season, Korpisalo will be expected to be in the net for some games based on the team’s schedule.
After the Bruins play the Buffalo Sabres tonight, the team will have three more sets of back-to-back games. That is where people can expect Korpisalo to get some starts. However, as 2026 is winding down, the final stretch of the season may be one where Korpisalo needs to show the Bruins he’s capable of being Swayman’s backup next season due to Michael DiPietro’s incredible rise in the American Hockey League with the Providence Bruins.
This season, DiPietro leads the AHL in three key goaltending categories: 29 wins, .931 save percentage, and a 1.92 GAA. After winning the 2025 Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, DiPietro has a good chance to win the award again this season for his outstanding play in the AHL season. DiPietro is arguably the biggest reason why Providence has the most points in the AHL.
Age and consistency are two big factors between the two goaltenders. Korpisalo will turn 32 years old in April and has been inconsistent for two seasons now in Boston. This season, Korpisalo has recorded an 11-9-4 record with a .891 save percentage and 3.30 GAA. In March, Korpisalo has lost all three of his starts, allowing 14 goals combined. Two of the goals Korpisalo allowed were overtime winners. January was the only month in which Korpisalo was consistent throughout. Korpisalo finished January with a 1.89 GAA in six games played (five starts). However, in the other five months this season, Korpisalo finished the month with a GAA of over 3.00. Even though DiPietro has been in the AHL for the majority of this season, his stats are clearly better than Korpisalo’s. DiPietro has made 25 saves in 19 of his 38 games played this season, and has gotten better with his age at 26 years old.
Salaries and contracts offer more reasons. Korpisalo has three years remaining on his contract at a $3 million salary per year. For an inconsistent backup goaltender, $3 million per year may seem a lot for Korpisalo. The Bruins could be eager to try to trade Korpisalo to dump his contract and free up cap space. Meanwhile, DiPietro’s contract is cheaper. DiPietro has one year remaining on his contract at a salary of $812,500. The Bruins can save salary if they were to trade Korpisalo and have DiPietro in the NHL. Along with that, DiPietro has lived up more to his contract than Korpisalo.
Even though it’s very little, DiPietro does have some NHL experience. DiPietro has played in four NHL games in his career. This season, DiPietro made one relief performance for the Bruins on Feb. 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets when he got just over six minutes of playing time. That was DiPietro’s first NHL game played since Jan. 23, 2022, when he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks.
If Korpisalo shines to close out 2026, then it will put the Bruins in a tough position of what to do in the offseason. The Bruins could either trust Korpisalo or give DiPietro a chance after shining in Providence. Eyes will be on Korpisalo in Boston to see how he performs in the Bruins’ final 11 games of this season. Meanwhile, Providence will keep its eyes on DiPietro to see how far he can take them in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs.
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