Another Bruins’ trade in the works using Linus Ullmark’s return

Right before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night, the Boston Bruins traded goalie Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic and a 2024 first-round draft pick (25th overall). The Senators also will retain 25 percent of Korpisalo’s salary.

While all the details from the transaction have been made public, there is now a rumour emerging that the Bruins could attempt to flip Korpisalo this summer to another team by attaching a draft pick or offering to retain part of his cap hit. There is a thought that Boston could also buy out the remainder of his contract.

Here is how Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston sees the Bruins dealing with a possible move involving Korpisalo:

“There are a few ways for the Bruins to deal with Korpisalo’s contract if they don’t want him to be their backup next season. Boston could bury him in the minors, which would open up $1.15 million in cap relief and result in a $1.85 million dead cap hit. They could buy him out, too. Doing that, according to CapFriendly , would leave the Bruins with a cap hit of $250,000 next season, $625,000 in 2025-26, $1.375 million in 2026-27, $1.75 million in 2027-28, and then $1 million each year from 2028-29 through 2031-32.

"The B’s could also trade Korpisalo and attach an asset (like a draft pick) to entice a team to take him. Trading him and retaining salary is another option.”

While the Bruins could indeed attempt to flip Korpisalo this summer, there is a strong chance that he will serve as Jeremy Swayman’s backup next season.

Unfortunately for the former Senators’ netminder, he was one of the worst goalies in the league in 2023-24, posting a 21-26-4 record with a mediocre .890 save percentage and a 3.27 GAA. If the Bruins stick with him, the fanbase cannot expect him to be as good a backup to Swayman as Ullmark ever was.