Boston Bruins

Joonas Korpisalo Takes On Starting Role For Bruins With Swayman Out

Published

4 weeks ago

September 19, 2024

Andrew Fantucchio

Photo Courtesy of the Boston Bruins/@NHLBruins on 𝕏

BRIGHTON– Joonas Korpisalo is in the early stage of acclimating to Boston.

He’s only been in the city for a few weeks and is still trying to figure out where everything is. But the one place that he knows he needs to be is in goal for the Bruins.

As the Bruins held their first on-ice practice of training camp on Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena, there was an awkward and noticeable absence without Jeremy Swayman, who remains an unsigned, restricted free agent. While the star goalie and the Bruins continue to negotiate terms for a new contract, the starting job in net is Korpisalo’s until further notice.

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“It doesn’t change my job,” said Korpisalo. “Quite frankly, I just want to focus on my job. Of course, [Swayman]is a great guy. I got to work with him before camp. He’s a great guy and a great goalie, but I’m just focusing on myself.”

There isn’t much room for Korpisalo to focus on anything but himself heading into the season after a poor performance last year in Ottawa.

It was last summer that he signed a five-year, $20 million contract as a free agent and was supposed to be a key reason for the Senators making it back to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. That never happened.

Instead, Korpisalo posted some of the worst numbers of his career with a .890 save percentage and a 3.27 goals-against average in 55 games, leading the Senators to trade him as part of a package for Linus Ullmark just one year into his contract.

Now, it again seems that the course of the netminder’s season won’t go as planned. Brought in to play 25 or so games and revive his career as the backup, Korpisalo will need to be prepared for much more than originally expected.

“It doesn’t matter how many games you play,” Korpisalo said. “You have to always be ready. It doesn’t matter if it’s one or 82, so that’s never an excuse.”

If the sudden opportunity as the Bruins starter hasn’t changed much for Korpisalo, the culture within their locker room certainly has.

“There’s no shortcuts here, and everyone’s taking it seriously,” Korpisalo said. “There’s a winning culture. You can see it every day. Every year, you have a chance to win with this team. That’s what they’ve built in this organization. Winning is expected.”

What may help Korpisalo get up to speed is working under the tutelage of Bruins goalie guru Bob Essensa, who, over the years, has helped turn career understudies into regular starters and regular starters into Vezina Trophy candidates.

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Without Swayman on hiatus for the time being, the Bruins need Korpisalo to be Essensa’s greatest reclamation project yet.

“It all comes down to the little, little details,” said Korpisalo. “We get to work with Bob. There’s a couple of things that we want to change, but nothing crazy. I just go day by day. That’s been my motto every year. Of course, you have to look ahead, but right now, just head down, put the work in, and get better.”