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Joonas Korpisalo

Snapshots: Hofer, Middleton, Senators, Korpisalo

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After revealing their initial roster yesterday for the upcoming World Championship, Hockey Canada announced (Twitter link) that Blues goaltender Joel Hofer and Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton have been added to the roster.  Hofer spent most of the season with AHL Springfield but didn’t look out of place in six games with St. Louis where he posted a .905 SV%.  He’s expected to be the backup for the Blues next season and will compete for playing time in this event with Buffalo’s Devon Levi and Montreal’s Samuel Montembeault.

As for Middleton, the 27-year-old played in 79 games for the Wild this season, picking up 15 points and 155 blocks while logging over 19 minutes a night, all career bests.  He also picked up a pair of assists and 24 blocked shots in Minnesota’s opening-round exit to Dallas.  It will be his first time representing Canada internationally.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Another celebrity has joined in on the bidding for the Senators as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that The Weeknd has joined the Kimel bid, one of the seven groups believed to still be in the race for the team. This comes on the heels of Snoop Dogg partnering up with Neko Sparks’ bid in recent days while Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group are known to be putting together a competitive bid.  The rough deadline for final offers is the middle of May.
  • When he met with the media earlier this week including Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider, Kings goaltender Joonas Korpisalo indicated that there hasn’t been much in the way of discussions on a possible contract extension. The 29-year-old was quite impressive for Los Angeles down the stretch, posting a 2.13 GAA with a .921 SV% in 11 games, helping him earn the starting role for the playoffs.  Korpisalo is finishing a one-year, $1.3MM deal that was signed on the heels of an injury-riddled season but now, he’ll enter the open market as one of the top netminders available which could more than triple that rate on his next contract.

Columbus To Receive Los Angeles Kings 2023 First Rounder

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When the Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff birth last night it guaranteed that the Columbus Blue Jackets would receive their first-round pick in the 2023 NHL entry draft.

Columbus originally acquired a conditional first round pick from the Kings at the trade deadline as part of a package for goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

The condition on the traded pick was that if Los Angeles did not qualify for the 2023 playoffs, Columbus would have instead received a 2023 second round pick and a 2024 second round pick. Columbus will likely have the extra pick land somewhere late in the first round, but should be pleased with their slotting in what is expected to be a deep draft.

This trade could ultimately turn out to be a win for both teams. Columbus is trying to rebuild around Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine and the first-round pick should help them fill out the depth around their two offensive stars. Los Angeles on the other hand have emerged from their rebuild as a potential juggernaut in the Western Conference. They still boast a few remaining stars from their two cup winning teams and have done a nice job building around them.

This season the Kings were receiving some of the worst goaltending in the league until the trade with Columbus for Joonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo has gone 5-2-1 in eight games with a 1.75 goals against average and a .936 save percentage in what has been a career year for the 28-year-old. This recent stretch of success couldn’t have come at a better time for the Finnish goaltender, he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and with very few options available on the open market, Korpisalo could be in line for a hefty payday.

Los Angeles Kings Trade Jonathan Quick

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Late last night, another franchise icon was sent packing. The Los Angeles Kings agreed to trade Jonathan Quick, along with a conditional 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo. The deal has now been officially announced, with the conditions revealed.

They’re very simple. If the Kings qualify for the playoffs this year, they will give Columbus a first-round pick. If they miss, they will owe second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.

The move must be bittersweet for Kings fans, who have cheered on Quick for more than a decade. On the one hand, the team is shipping out the most successful goaltender in franchise history, the backbone of its two Stanley Cup teams and winner of the 2012 Conn Smythe trophy. On the other, Quick’s performance had declined significantly this season, and the club is poised to make a serious playoff run if they can improve the goaltending.

Through 31 appearances this season, Quick has a save percentage of just .876, easily the worst of his career. The uber-athletic goaltender has seemed a step behind the play, and can’t seem to string together multiple good starts. In his last appearance as a King, he allowed three goals on seven shots before being pulled less than halfway through the game.

Still, this is a goaltender that has more than twice as many wins as the next-best in Kings history. Quick’s 370 career wins not only dwarves second-place Rogie Vachon’s 171, but put him 19th on the all-time NHL list. Despite never winning a Vezina Trophy (his closest came in 2012 when he finished second), Quick has a decent chance of reaching the Hall of Fame eventually as one of only 17 goaltenders to win the Conn Smythe. Add in an Olympic silver medal and two Jennings trophies, and it was a pretty productive career for the 2005 third-round pick.

The Kings are focused on this season, though, and bringing in two players to help them compete in the playoffs.

Gavrikov, 27, has been talked about for months, and was moved out of the lineup by Columbus for two weeks before they eventually moved him. The big, rangy defenseman can contribute in many ways, and could find even more success playing on a Kings blueline that can give him more support. With the Blue Jackets, he was likely asked to do too much, playing more than 22 minutes a night as their most reliable option, once Zach Werenski went down to injury.

Korpisalo is perhaps the more interesting addition, though, if only because he has caught fire of late. The 28-year-old goaltender has a .911 save percentage on the season, but that number rises to .916 if you look at his last ten, in which he has lost in regulation just three times. Those may not sound like earth-shattering numbers, but on a Columbus team that is one of the worst in the league, they are encouraging.

The Blue Jackets are getting not only two significant draft picks, but also an asset in Quick that might have some extra value. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Columbus will check around to see if they can flip the veteran goaltender to a contending team.

At the very least they come away from another deadline with a first-round pick. Gavrikov was expected to test the free agent market, while Korpisalo was likely on his last legs with the team, as they prepare to turn over that roster spot to Daniil Tarasov.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Kraken, Reimer

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The Kings have been shopping around for help on the back end and could stand to add some goaltending depth for the playoff run.  It could be a one-stop shop for Los Angeles as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that they’re showing interest in a package deal with Columbus that would see them add blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, both pending unrestricted free agents.  Gavrikov is logging a career-high 22:20 per night this season for the Blue Jackets and would fit in nicely into their top four while Korpisalo, who was also scratched tonight for trade-related purposes, has put up a .911 SV% on a rebuilding Columbus squad.  The two carry a combined cap hit of $4.1MM which is more than Los Angeles can currently afford although it’s worth noting that the Blue Jackets have two remaining retained salary slots remaining.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • Seattle’s second season has gone quite well as the Kraken find themselves holding down the second and final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference heading into tonight’s action. However, in an appearance on 93.3KJR today (audio link), GM Ron Francis indicated that he isn’t planning any major changes and that if anything happens, it would probably be “tweaking around the edges”.  Seattle is projected to have the ability to add someone making nearly $4MM on deadline day, per CapFriendly, so it’s possible that they look to add a rental or two to give themselves some more depth for the stretch run without making any changes to their core.
  • It’s quite possible that the Sharks moving pending UFA goaltender James Reimer before Friday’s trade deadline. If that happens, the veteran told Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group that he would “seriously consider” returning for what would be a third stint with the organization.  Reimer has a 3.25 GAA with a .895 SV% in 30 starts this season and with a cap hit of $2.25MM, he could be viewed as capable veteran insurance for a playoff-bound squad.

Columbus Blue Jackets To Scratch Joonas Korpisalo

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Much like their protection of Vladislav Gavrikov, the Columbus Blue Jackets announce that goaltender Joonas Korpisalo will be scratched for trade-related protections. In a corresponding move, recent call-up Billy Sweezey will be returned to their AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters, and goaltender Jet Greaves will be recalled for tonight’s matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Easily becoming the number one option in net this season for the Blue Jackets, Korpisalo is set to hit the open market this summer after his current 1-year, $1.3MM contract comes to end. After signing Elvis Merzlikins to a 5-year, $27MM contract before the start of this season, many wouldn’t have expected Korpisalo to be the clear starter in the net. However, Merzlikins has produced a dismal .876 SV% coupled with a -22.0 GSAA, so Columbus had no choice but to turn to their backup netminder. Although not earth-shattering numbers, Korpisalo has put up a .911 SV% and a 5.7 GSAA.

At the beginning of the year, the Blue Jackets may not have envisioned themselves being in this position at the deadline. Signing the top free agent on the market Johnny Gaudreau this past summer, the feelings surrounding Columbus were that of excitement. In a stacked division, it would have been an extremely difficult road ahead to be in the playoff picture, however; expectations were much higher than being in last place in the NHL coming into the trade deadline. As they look to move out expiring contracts, Korpisalo will be another player on the chopping block. As he is not a bonafide number-one option on a contending team, a steady backup goalie will have value for teams as they look to make the playoffs.

Trade Deadline Notes: Bertuzzi, Kulikov, Korpisalo

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While this season hasn’t entirely gone to plan for Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, as a pending unrestricted free agent he was expected to be a top player on the forward market this trade deadline season. Now, with Detroit well within the playoff hunt, it seems trade conversations regarding Bertuzzi have halted. On the 32 Thoughts segment of last night’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that there is a growing belief that as long as the Red Wings remain in the hunt for a playoff spot, Bertuzzi is “not available” for trade.

Bertuzzi’s season thus far has not been entirely impressive (he’s struggled to stay healthy and has scored 12 points in 24 games) but it was just one year ago that he scored 30 goals and 62 points in just 68 games for Detroit. If interested clubs believe that the Bertuzzi of last season is a more accurate reflection of his talent than what he has put forth this year, it is no surprise that he would garner trade interest. Forwards who can score while also playing with an edge to their game are highly coveted, so it stands to reason that Detroit could expect a solid return package if Bertuzzi were dealt. But since the Red Wings currently have a chance to stop their playoff drought from stretching to seven seasons in length, it seems they’d prefer to keep their homegrown winger.

Some other notes on the upcoming trade deadline:

  • Calls inquiring on the trade availability of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Dmitry Kulikov are poised to increase sharply as the market for Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov tightens. Marek noted on 32 Thoughts to “expect attention” to be paid to Kulikov by teams who miss out on Gavrikov. Kulikov, 32, is a steady left-shot defenseman who plays a solid defensive game and is currently the Ducks’ leader in penalty-killing ice time. He’s on an expiring $2.25MM AAV deal, and one would expect that the Ducks, with over $60MM in projected deadline cap space per CapFriendly, would have no issue retaining salary to make a deal work.
  • Another name expected to generate interest around the trade deadline is that of Blue Jackets netminder Joonas Korpisalo. The pending unrestricted free agent’s box score numbers in 26 games this year are solid (.913 save percentage) and his underlying numbers are similarly good, if not better. On 32 Thoughts, Marek said to expect teams in need of goaltending help to target the one-time NHL All-Star Game selection.

Blue Jackets Activate Three, Assign Marcus Bjork To AHL

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The Blue Jackets have made a series of roster moves in advance of tonight’s game against Detroit.  The team announced that center Boone Jenner, winger Eric Robinson, and goaltender Daniil Tarasov have been all activated off injured reserve.  To make room on the roster, defenseman Marcus Bjork was sent to AHL Cleveland.  Meanwhile, goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is unavailable tonight due to personal reasons.

While several veterans have struggled for Columbus this season, Jenner was one of the exceptions.  Prior to fracturing his thumb last month, the 29-year-old had 11 goals and 11 assists in 30 games, a 30-goal and 30-assist pace over a full season.  Additionally, Jenner is logging over 20 minutes a night and is winning 55.9% of his faceoffs, a career-high.  In his absence, the Blue Jackets won less than 40% of their draws.  Sophomore middleman Cole Sillinger will come out of the lineup to make room for Jenner in the lineup.

As for Robinson, he had missed the last five games due to an upper-body injury sustained earlier this month.  After setting benchmarks offensively in 2021-22 with 10 goals and 17 assists, the 27-year-old has struggled on that side of the ice this season with just three goals and seven helpers in 38 games so far despite his playing time hovering near 14 minutes a night for the second year in a row.  Blueliner Gavin Bayruether will be a healthy scratch to open up a spot for Robinson to return as Columbus will go back to a standard alignment of a dozen forwards and six defensemen.

Tarasov, meanwhile, was injured in practice two weeks ago, causing him to miss the last seven games and delaying their decision on whether or not to carry three goaltenders a little longer.  The 23-year-old has a .907 SV% in a dozen appearances with the Blue Jackets with his save percentage being just a single point lower than Korpisalo’s.

There haven’t been many bright spots for Columbus this year but Bjork has been one of them.  After signing an entry-level deal back in May, the 25-year-old started the season in the minors before being brought up in November and scored in his NHL debut.  Bjork has played in 26 games with the Blue Jackets this season, collecting 11 points while logging just over 19 minutes a game.  However, having sat out the last game and the fact that he’s waiver-exempt, they’ve decided that he will be the one to lose his roster spot for the time being.

Snapshots: Blue Jackets-Sabres, Greaves, Matthews

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Over the holidays, several NHL games were postponed because of a massive winter storm. Today, the league announced that the game originally scheduled for December 27 between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres will now be played on April 14.

That means both teams will now end the season with a back-to-back situation, as they were previously set to finish up on the 13th. The Blue Jackets will be at home for both games, but the Sabres will have to travel from Buffalo, where they play the Ottawa Senators the night before.

  • Speaking of the Blue Jackets, the team returned Jet Greaves to the minor leagues today, indicating that Joonas Korpisalo has recovered enough to return to action. Greaves very easily could have made his NHL debut last night in relief of Elvis Merzlikins, who was peppered with shots from the Tampa Bay Lightning. He stopped 40 of them but still lost after allowing six goals.
  • Auston Matthews will be out of the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with head coach Sheldon Keefe confirming to reporters including Mark Masters of TSN that the star center is dealing with a lingering injury. Matthews has not yet been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Daniil Tarasov Placed On Injured Reserve; Jet Greaves Recalled

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a revolving door in the net this season, and once again Jet Greaves is up under emergency conditions. Joonas Korpisalo is unavailable due to personal reasons, so the team moved Daniil Tarasov to injured reserve in order to make room on the roster.

Tarasov’s IR placement is retroactive to December 30, meaning he can come off whenever healthy. He is dealing with an upper-body injury and has been listed as day-to-day. The 23-year-old netminder appeared to be taking over the backup role earlier this year, but now sits at 2-8-1 with a .907 save percentage on the season. His absence (or that of Korpisalo) doesn’t really mean much to a team that is 12-25-2 on the year and holds the worst goal differential in the Eastern Conference.

The Blue Jackets were one of the offseason’s big winners, signing Johnny Gaudreau to a long-term big-money deal. But after a poor start and near-countless injuries, the season is essentially lost. It would take a herculean effort in the second half to get back into the mix, meaning their focus is more likely to be on the 2023 draft than anything else.

Because of that Korpisalo may end up being a potential deadline target, if he can continue to play well for the next few weeks. The 28-year-old has been very inconsistent in his career but so far has a .913 save percentage this season and is on an expiring contract. It seems that the revolving door isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Columbus Blue Jackets Announce Several Roster Moves

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced a series of roster moves this evening. Defenseman Adam Boqvist and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo have both been activated off of IR. In order to create the roster space for both players, the team has placed forward Cole Sillinger on IR and assigned goaltender Jet Greaves to the Cleveland Monsters, their AHL affiliate. Sillinger’s IR placement is retroactive to December 17th.

Columbus’ injury woes this season are well-documented, and Korpisalo is no exception, coming off of his second IR stint of the season. The netminder missed the first two weeks of the season on IR before landing there again December 11th. The other key struggle for the Blue Jackets this season has been goaltending, and there, Korpisalo again is no exception. The 28-year-old has struggled to a 3.53 goals-against average this season, though his .903 save-percentage, when considering his goals-against the the Blue Jackets’ on-ice struggles, is encouraging.

Korpisalo’s fellow netminder, Greaves had been recalled Tuesday on an emergency basis, but hadn’t played. The 21-year-old has had his own struggles in net this year, getting into 11 games with Cleveland, recording an .877 save-percentage average and 4.09 goals-against average.

The 19-year-old Sillinger hasn’t yet been able to recapture the success he had as a rookie in 2021-22, tallying just six points through his first 30 games this season and now lands on a lengthy IR list. The forward suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins and hadn’t played since. Though an injury isn’t good news, perhaps a brief time away could act as a reset for the youngster with a fresh-start ahead.

Boqvist will be a much-welcomed addition to a depleted lineup, havng played in just four games this season, the most recent coming October 25th. The former Chicago Blackhawks prospect has shown promise as a legitimate NHL defenseman, but is still awaiting a big breakout. Given the long list of injuries, if Boqvist can stay healthy, he should be able to gather enough regular minutes to help him facilitate that breakout.

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