That’s the million‑dollar question. About the only certainty right now is that Jeremy Swayman will be the unquestioned starter — and deservedly so.
There’s a growing push — from the fan base and even pockets of the media — to move on from Joonas Korpisalo and elevate Michael DiPietro, the two‑time AHL Goaltender of the Year, into the backup role behind Swayman. But it’s never that simple, and there are several layers to work through before the Bruins can make that kind of call.
Let’s start with the waiver piece. The prevailing belief is that DiPietro won’t clear if he’s sent back to Providence to open the season. When the Bruins signed him to a two‑year deal last year, they structured it in a way that made him a less attractive waiver claim — and it worked at the time. The question now is whether that same strategy will hold up again this September.
I also don’t see the Bruins willing to start him in Boston, not when he’s had virtually no opportunity to prove he can handle an NHL backup role. And with a shortened preseason on the horizon, he’s unlikely to get much of a runway to do so there either. But they could change, right?
Handing DiPietro the backup job would require the Bruins to move Korpisalo this offseason — and that’s exactly what much of the fan base, and a portion of the media, is calling for. But the path to making that happen is far more complicated than the chorus suggests.
The goaltending market is shaping up to be crowded as we head into the offseason. St. Louis is expected to shop Jordan Binnington once again, and if the Panthers can’t find common ground with Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida immediately becomes the frontrunner for Binnington’s services. That scenario would remove one team from the goalie hunt while simultaneously adding another established name to an already saturated pool.
There’s also chatter that Stuart Skinner is closing in on an extension with the Penguins at around $4 million per season, effectively taking Pittsburgh out of the goalie market. Meanwhile, Vegas is reportedly open to shopping Adin Hill this offseason in an effort to free up much‑needed cap space — a move that would add yet another established netminder to an already crowded field.
Add in the situation in Minnesota, where Jesper Wallstedt has clearly staked his claim as the Wild’s long‑term answer in net, and it naturally puts Filip Gustavsson in play — with multiple teams already rumored to be kicking tires. And with Philadelphia locking up Dan Vladar on an extension, another potential suitor is effectively off the board. The list goes on and on.
Young goaltenders like Detroit’s Sebastian Cossa and Buffalo’s Devon Levi will also hit the trade market.
You get the picture: a few teams have already locked in their goaltending for next season, while more and more netminders continue to hit the trade market. That imbalance doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that the Bruins will be able to find a taker for Korpisalo.
One team would have to be convinced, or you would have to convince them, that Korpisalo is above any of the other available netminders.
It’s doable, but a tall task.
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