By: Ellie Man | Follow me on Twitter/X @ellieyym
Having supported the Boston Bruins into the Stanley Cup playoffs, achieved bronze in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, and taken the top step in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship, Joonas Korpisalo is riding high. As such, it’s now time for Don Sweeney to make the most of the opportunity to move on.
Finland won big at the 2026 World Championship, taking home gold for the first time that the team has medaled since 2022. Korpisalo – alongside fellow Bruin Henri Jokiharju – was called up to the national team, representing his country for the second time this year following the Winter Olympics.
The Pori-born goaltender played two of Finland’s 10 games, continuing his regular role as a secondary goalie. He geared up as a back-up for the entirety of Finland’s campaign and successfully helped to get the job done. He made nine saves to provide a 4-1 finish against Hungary, and another nine saves for a 4-0 shutout versus Great Britain.
With Korpisalo’s stock at a high, now is the best time for the Bruins to shift him. Rumors have long since been circulating about what the Boston Bruins should and will do with the number two goalie, as Jeremy Swayman remains firmly in the front seat.
The 6’4”, 204-pound netminder is in the midst of a five-year contract, with a $4,000,000 AAV. Though the Bruins’ cap hits $3,000,000 due to the Ottawa Senators retaining 25% of the salary in the trade. According to PuckPedia, a buyout option would cost the Bruins $1,083,333 for the next four years, on top of the base salary of $3,500,000 for the 2026-27 season and $3,000,000 for 2027-28. While this would leave the Bruins paying for Korpisalo beyond his contract term, it might provide some much-needed flexibility.
Korpisalo played 31 games in the last National Hockey League regular season, starting 28. His record presents a 3.15 GAA and .894 SV%, indicating his mixed results in the crease. He also achieved one shutout against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Needing a stronger defense and a reliable goaltender to support their starter, Korpisalo could be a good player for the likes of the Edmonton Oilers or Philadelphia Flyers. In turn, the Bruins would highly benefit from future draft picks, lacking a strong offensive core. This is particularly significant after the Toronto Maple Leafs won this year’s draft lottery, leaving the Bruins losing out on a conditional draft pick that had been part of the trade deal for center Fraser Minten.
Michael DiPietro’s name has been cropping up often, being mentioned as a strong frontrunner to take Korpisalo’s place. He currently plays with the Providence Bruins and posted impressive numbers throughout the season with a 1.91 GAA and .930 SV%. These efforts earned him the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, becoming the first Providence goalie to win in two consecutive seasons, alongside being named the American Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player.
A change in environment for Korpisalo and a promotion for DiPietro look to be the logical next step, especially as the team begins turning its attention to the future. As Cam Neely stated, the Bruins need more talent to be in for a chance of competing for the Stanley Cup. This transition would support the Bruins’ shift toward embracing a new wave of talent, relying on the next generation to get them back in championship contention.
We cannot afford to lose DiPietro : let’s get rid of Korpisalo asap