the Boston Bruins traded goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on June 24 in a three-player deal including forward Mark Kastelic and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo going to Boston.
Just hours after completing the transaction, however, the Bruins could be thinking about buying out Korpisalo’s hefty deal to create some cap space ahead of the offseason, according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic.
“If the Bruins do not believe Korpisalo is worth the investment, they could execute a buyout,” Shinzawa wrote after the trade announcement. “This would allow Brandon Bussi to be (Jeremy) Swayman’s No. 2 in 2024–25. Bussi signed a one-year, two-way, $775,000 contract Monday.”
If the Bruins buy Korpisalo out, they would be responsible $8 million of Korpisalo’s $10,666,667 salary. That’s because of the Senators’ salary retention on the trade for Linus Ullmark. The $8 million figure would spread out over eight years.
There is no clarity about whether or not Boston will cut Korpisalo, however, as Shinzawa reported in his story while quoting an anonymous NHL general manager.
“Not sure,” one GM told Shinzawa via text message regarding the potential buyout.
Korpisalo signed a five-year, $20 million contract on July 2023. He is under contract through the end of the 2028 season with an average cap hit of $4 million per year.
Did the Bruins Lose the Linus Ullmark Trade?
Shayna Goldman of The Athletic graded the Ullmark trade shortly after it was official. She handed the Bruins a “C” and the Senators an “A,” making it clear who won and who lost the transaction in her eyes.
“At the end of the day, the 25th pick in the NHL Draft on Friday, Mark Kastelic and Joonas Korpisalo combined don’t equal nearly the value Ullmark brings to a lineup,” Goldman wrote. “And none of these pieces address Boston’s most pressing needs upfront.”
