By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
When I discuss Boston Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro, the word I use often is perseverance. The 26-year-old Ontario, Canada native was originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks, who selected the former Ontario Hockey League standout with the Windsor Spitfires in the third round of the 2017 National Hockey League Entry Draft held that year at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
After the 2018-19 Canadian Hockey League season was over, where he split the regular season games with the Spitfires and finished his OHL career with the Ottawa 67’s, DiPietro turned pro, joining the Canucks organization. With the likes of Thatcher Demko and Vancouver believing more in netminder Spencer Martin’s upside, the team moved on from DiPietro, trading the former 2017 Memorial Cup Champion to the Boston Bruins for former promising forward Jack Studnicka.
This trade to Boston on October 27th, 2022, for Michael was a pro hockey career-changing moment and the reason why the word perseverance flows so much when speaking about him. It’s the way this goaltender took the reins from the get-go, working hard in the ECHL with the Boston Bruins minor-pro affiliate, the Maine Mariners, to the higher American Hockey League, Providence Bruins, where he’s been a mainstay for the last few seasons.
If you’re into online sportsbook gambling, please check out this Caesars promo code for your chance to place a wager on a highly reputible and safe website. The expert team at Rotowire reviews each platform with the same level of scrutiny that hockey coaches apply to their lineup strategy. The site ensures that all sportsbooks listed are not only secure and fair but also licensed for responsible gaming. So, whether you’re a fan of hockey or an enjoyer of other worldwide professional sports, make sure you’re playing at the most reliable and secure venues for a truly enjoyable experience. Again, please wager responsibly.
It Was a Career Year For Boston Bruins Goaltender Michael DiPietro
Last season, DiPietro appeared in 40 games, posting a 26-8-7 regular season record along with a 2.05 goals-against-average and a .927 save percentage, winning the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s Best Goaltender. Michael’s incredible 2024-25 All-Star season for Providence was enough for the Bruins to lock him in for another two-years on a one-way contract after being a good soldier for the organization throughout his stay.
This DiPietro contract extension is going to be an intriguing one for both the Boston Bruins and DiPietro in this fall’s NHL training camp. With Jeremy Swayman expected to be the starter for the upcoming season, the competition for his backup should be interesting.
The 31-year-old Joonas Korpisalo, per PuckPedia.com, has three years remaining on his current contract, which the Boston organization acquired in the Linus Ullmark trade that sent the former Vezina winner to the Ottawa Senators. The Senators needed relief at the crease position, and the Bruins needed to get back in the first round. Ottawa also retained 25% salary from the $4 million he was making with the Sens when he signed a five-year deal after one good season with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1st, 2023.
DiPietro’s recent two-year contract carries an NHL salary cap hit of $812K, so if he can win the job out of camp, it’s a massive benefit to the organization. It gives them flexibility to hang onto cap space and identify areas of need if they happen to be in a playoff spot and desperate for additional help, and the ability to absorb the cap number potentially coming back the other way.
Currently, the Bruins have a little over $2 million in space, but during the NHL offseason, teams can carry 10% over the regular season mandated limit and adjust to be league compliant by the time the season starts. While not discrediting DiPietro’s talent, his size has always been an issue when considering NHL playing time. Michael has only appeared in three NHL career games, and he has a 0-2-0 record.
Would DiPietro Survive on the Waiver Wire if He Were Exposed?
Suppose DiPietro does not secure a roster spot during the upcoming training camp. In that case, he’ll be subject to the league’s waiver process, making him available to the numerous NHL teams that have expressed interest in his services, as reported previously. It’s a gamble at this point in the offseason to predict how things will play out with the competition in the crease this fall, but I can guarantee that if DiPietro is on Waivers in early October 2025, he won’t be there for long.
If the Bruins want to stick with experience, keeping Korpisalo around and having him work through last season’s rough year, possibly feeding off of a refreshed Swayman, isn’t a bad idea either. If the Bruins aren’t desperate to shed salary, the Swayman-Korpisalo NHL tandem could be a solid foundation for the backend.
Swayman needs a reset after last year’s disaster campaign, and Korpisalo and his family are more comfortable with their new surroundings, allowing Korpi to train harder and build on last year’s 11-win season and increased playing time. Not shitting on the player at all here but I honestly don’t believe Korpisalo has much trade value with his recent trend of mediocore hockey at the highest level in the world.
What Does the Upcoming Season’s Depth in the Crease Look Like if DiPietro Successfully Passes Through the NHL’s Waiver Process?
If by some chance DiPietro survives the waiver process and reports to AHL Providence, it just adds to the organization’s depth and opportunity to play a veteran role in the crease with recently signed one-year, entry-level contract with Czech Republic native Simon Zajicek. Michael could also play a role in 24-year-old goaltender Luke Cavallin, who also signed a one-year, entry-level deal for the upcoming year.
Three’s a crowd, so one of the recently signed entry-level deals in the developing depths might be heading to the ECHL Maine Mariners, a B’s affiliate, since the 2021-22 season. Cavallin was in goal for the ECHL Trios-Rivieres Lions when the Montreal Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate captured the 2025 Kelly Cup Championship. Luke was also the recipient of the June M. Kelly Award as the 2025 ECHL playoffs’ most valuable player.
With a good Providence training camp, Cavallin could solidify an AHL roster spot over the competing Zajicek, who’ll be playing over here in North America professionally for the first time. Currently, there’s an available roster spot with the ECHL Maine Mariners, which would be a great starting point for a netminder like Zajicek, as he brings his talents overseas, jumping up levels in developmental hockey with his recent signing.
Goaltending Development in Boston Has Never Been Better
For the past several seasons, there have been continued positive vibes coming out of the Boston hockey community about the Bruins’ organizational depth in the crease. Goaltending Coach Bob Essensa, who primarily works with the NHL club, and Goaltending Development Coach Mike Dunham, who mainly works with the Providence team, have formed a rock-solid tandem. They pass on their knowledge and the game’s evolving trends year-to-year to the next generation of netminders in the organization, making Boston a destination for goaltenders to thrive in the system, regardless of the landscape or bottleneck ahead of them.
This past Bruins Development Camp held annually at the Warrior Ice Area in Brighton, Massachusetts was a strong showing from the netminders who attended and invited. The only Bruins prospect who appeared at last weeks camp festivities was Philip Svedeback but it was invites Albin Boija (University of Maine), Cameron Korpi (Union College), and Dylan Silverstein (Quinnipiac University) who stole the show in the crease providing evaluating notes for Essena and Dunham to keep an eye on for future free agent availability after thier respected college careers are over. Both Essensa and Dunham provide a valueable service to the Bruins scouting staff and when decisions have to be made concerning the now and future of this team in the crease there’s honestly no better duo.
Also, keep an eye out closer to the season when the new rule of NHL teams carrying a third goaltender eliminating the EBUG. I’m sure Essensa will have his stamp on what veteran netminder the team wants to work with in this very limited emergency role. ESPN’s NHL Beat Writer Greg Wyshynski explains how the new CBA is now going to govern this topic in his X post below.
Leave a Reply