That Linus Ullmark would get traded seemed like a fait accompli as soon as the Bruins’ season ended in May. Still, when the trade happened, there were plenty of grumbles throughout Bruins’ Nation.
It wasn’t so much that they were dealing the 2023 Vezina Award winner. That part of the pain had already been digested for all but the most casual fan. But the part of the deal that was tough to swallow was the fact that, along with the first-round draft pick that turned out to be Dean Letourneau plus fourth-line center Mark Kastelic, the B’s had to take back goalie Joonas Korpisalo. And it wasn’t so much as Korpisalo himself but that fact his contract, which has four years left on it with a $4 million cap hit.
The Ottawa Senators are retaining 25% of the deal, which gets the AAV down to $3 million a season, but it was still an expense in cap space many people didn’t see coming.
However, if Korpisalo can right his game, provide solid backup work to Jeremy Swayman and take 25-30 games off Swayman’s plate without there being an appreciable drop-off, the deal can be beneficial to the B’s.
Now, he’s got to fix his game. After a strong stretch run with the Los Angeles Kings that earned him the deal with the Sens last summer, he posted a 21-26-4 record with a .890 save percentage and a whopping 3.27 goals against average in Ottawa.
“Last year was a tough year for everyone in Ottawa – changing the GM, the owner, the coach. It’s a long season when you go that way,” said Korpisalo via Zoom on Wednesday. “For me, individually and I think the team, we did under-perform the whole year. And that’s that. It’s behind me. I can look back and obviously learn some things about it, but now it’s time to look forward. I have a great opportunity here in Boston and I couldn’t be more excited.”
Korpisalo is looking forward to working with goalie coach Bob Essensa, who has earned a growing reputation as one of the best in the game.
“Obviously (the trade) is a shock. Even if you expected it or not, it’s a shock,” said the 30-year-old Korpisalo. “Throughout the day, I started processing it and the excitement went through the roof. Having talked with Bob, he’s done his research, which is a great thing for me. Looking how I am as a goalie, I’m super excited to be working with him as well.”
Despite his game seemingly cratering in Ottawa last season, Korpisalo doesn’t believe he needs major repairs on it.
“I wouldn’t say an overhaul. There’s always things to work on and I think the big picture comes from little details,” said Korpisalo. “Those are things you work on every day. Even now I’m working on those little details. I don’t think there’s anything major I would change in my game. It’s just on me to be on my level and that’s really enough to win games in the league.”
Swayman and Ullmark got along famously, of course. The post-win hugs highlighted their time as a tandem. But you’ll be happy to know that Swayman did not give the new guy the cold shoulder.
“He reached out to me right away,” said Korpisalo. “He texted me and I had a warm welcome to Boston. We tried to catch up for a call the past couple of days, which we’ll manage to do. He seems like a great guy. Can’t wait to meet with him and work with him.”
Korpisalo, meanwhile, had already been a fan of Swayman’s game.
“First of all, it’s so much fun to watch him play,” said Korpisalo. “The technique is there, the game sense is there. Everything is there and he’s the whole package. It’s fun to watch him play, especially when he’s on the other end and you’re trying to beat him. Now being on the same team and knowing how good of a relationship he had with Linus, he seems like a great guy and I’’m looking forward to meet him and get to know him and spend time on the ice and off the ice. That’s how it starts.”
A big hit?
Max Jones signed a two-year deal for a $1 million AAV on Monday. And if the way he described his game on Wednesday translates on the ice, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Michigan native will endear himself quickly to the Garden faithful.
“I kind of like to play the game with my hair on fire a little bit, just kind of go, go, go,” said Jones, the 24th overall pick in the 2016 draft. “The more I get invested in a game the more my heart rate goes up and the more effective I can be. I think that just makes it easier for me to cement my playing style into a game every night, possessing pucks, forecheck, getting pucks back, going to the net, creating a little bit of havoc around the net and for the other team. I think playing up and down the lineup is something that I can do, playing each and every role. It’s kind of what I did in Anaheim over the years. I’m learning how to play in every situation and role and learned my way in each setting so. But I try to stick to my core values of being big, strong, fast heavy player.”
Jones has 31-31-62 totals in 258 NHL games, all with the Ducks, but GM Don Sweeney believes there could be more to his game than what the production would indicate.
Jones said he was intrigued by the Bruins’ culture from conversations with former Ducks Kevin Shattenkirk and Hampus Lindholm.
“There was a lot that attracted me to the Bruins, beginning with the culture and how they play as a team. I think obviously a fresh start was what I was looking for and then obviously when I heard the Bruins were interested and I obviously was interested, it kind of made the decision very easy for me,” said Jones.
Take on Lysell
Sweeney nailed down two of the B’s needs in center (Elias Lindholm) and defense (Nikita Zadorov) on Monday, but the hole for another top six wing with the departure of Jake DeBrusk will most likely have to be filled from within the organization.
One of the leading candidates is Swedish wing Fabian Lysell, the B’s 2021 first-round pick (21st overall). His coach in Providence the last two years, Ryan Mougenel, broke down Lysell’s sometimes rocky development in North America.
“Fabian had huge steps this year,” said Mougenel. “We forget how young Fabian is at times (now 21). We had him as a 19-year-old. The maturity that he’s shown in his game has been great to see. He has a creative mind, he plays the game at a fast pace, his speed creates a ton of anxiety. And those are things that he has to bring to the table for (B’s coach Jim Montgomery). The things that give guys longevity in the NHL, wall play and the defensive parts of the game … when you come from a different background, especially in Europe, we value different things. And sometimes when you lay it out for kids, it’s a foreign concept. It’s been two years for Fabian and the light started to go on really early on this year. You play well in your own end and it translates into offense. He’s such a special player and such a special kid. And all these gifted offensive players, they have some sort of deficiency, especially defensively. His are really starting to come along. I think he’s going to push. He’s a super proud kid. He works, he’s inquisitive. He wants to learn. For Fabian, we’ve wanted him to play free. I think that’s important for Fabian, especially in training camp. We don’t want him trying to push it too hard, just let the skill speak for itself and enjoy the process.”
