When it came to trading Linus Ullmark this summer, it was expected that the Boston Bruins were going to get back a rather big return. It didn’t happen and the case could be made it didn’t happen for a number of reasons. Maybe the biggest as to why the return wasn’t what the Bruins were hoping for is because Ullmark did not work out an extension with the Ottawa Senators before the June trade.
The return from the Senators was a first round draft pick in the past Entry Draft, forward Mark Kastelic and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. The biggest head-scratching part of the deal was Korpisalo who is coming off a bad season with Ottawa. However, it appears he’s found a liking to the trade to the Black and Gold is expecting a bounce-back season in Boston.
Joonas Korpisalo expects to bounce-back in 2024-25 with the Bruins
Korpisalo’s 2023-24 season with Ottawa was not good. He finished with a 3.27 GAA and a .897 SV% for a team that was not very good and finished well out of a Stanley Cup Playoff berth. Yes, the team in front of him was not very good, but was it bad enough for the former Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings netminder to have those number? Maybe.
Coming to Boston seems to have given him a new-found hope for the 2024-25 season that he could prove that his $3 million AAV is earned. He is banking on Bruins goalie coach Bon Essensa can help him have a big bounce-back season.
"Seeing how the Boston goalies play here, I'm really excited to see Bob, and get to work with him and see what's on his mind to make my game better," said Korpisalo. "We've been talking a lot. He's not here yet, but we've been catching up with each other throughout the summer."
Essensa is someone who has been known to turn around a goalie’s career and Korpisalo is hoping that he can do the same with him. Will he play better with a better team in front of him? Maybe the Black and Gold have set themselves up to have a physical defense that is traditionally better on their defensive end than most teams. Regardless, Korpisalo is someone who is hoping that Essensa can help him regain his form with his new team.