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Joonas Korpisalo, Boston Bruins (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Bruins Have Intriguing Backup Goalie Battle

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Ryan Ventura | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 8:35 AM ET

Despite a down campaign in 2024-25, there is zero doubt that the Boston Bruins’ opening night starter in net will be Jeremy Swayman. He has shown that he has what it takes to be a superstar in the NHL, and the Bruins are paying him as such. After the worst season of his career, he will be looking to bounce back and return to his reliable form.

Behind Swayman, there is an intriguing battle that is set to play out throughout the course of training camp. Joonas Korpisalo will have to defend his backup goalie spot on the roster from Michael DiPietro, a 26-year-old who does not have meaningful NHL experience but has lit it up in the American Hockey League (AHL) over the past several seasons.

The Case for Joonas Korpisalo

Korpisalo is experienced and reliable. He’s played nearly 300 games at the NHL level, appearing for four different teams along the way. In 2024-25, he was a serviceable backup to Swayman, appearing in 27 games and posting a save percentage (SV%) just south of .900. He plays the position aggressively and has elite athleticism in the net. You know what you are getting with Korpisalo, and that is an average NHL netminder.

In the case that Swayman got hurt, the Bruins would likely feel comfortable relying on Korpisalo to start multiple games at a time. It is not likely that they would feel the same way about his inexperienced counterpart in DiPietro. That said, Korpisalo is carrying a cap hit of $3 million annually, a lot to be paying a backup netminder, especially with over $8 million hung up on Swayman each year. If the Bruins were to go with DiPietro, they would be able to trade Korpisalo and open up some meaningful cap space to pursue a much-needed forward.

The Case for Michael DiPietro

At 26 years old, DiPietro is younger than the Bruins’ backup from a season ago. He has had a stellar AHL career thus far, posting an astounding .927 SV% in 2024-25, a figure that remained steady during the Bruins’ postseason run. Though his three NHL starts from 2018-2021 did not go well for him, his dominance in the AHL has likely gone a long way to restoring his confidence. The cheaper option of the two, DiPietro is set to earn under $1 million this coming season. It seems evident that the youngster has done enough at the AHL level to earn at least a solid shot at the NHL roster heading into camp.

The tradeoff with DiPietro is inexperience. He would likely only be asked to start around 25 games for the Bruins; however, they will likely be on the brink of playoff contention, and having an inconsistent backup could prove catastrophic. They know that Korpisalo will be reliable enough to keep them in games; the same cannot be said for DiPietro. That being said, with the Bruins not likely to be Stanley Cup contenders anyway this season, now may be the perfect time to take a gamble on an unproven goalie carrying a cheap contract.

Verdict

While Korpisalo provides a reliable option, the Bruins should be doing everything they can to gauge who they want to be a part of their group for the future. This means that DiPietro, who has earned a shot at the NHL level, should be given one heading into camp. His upside is likely higher than Korpisalo’s, and despite being the riskier option, he provides much-needed salary cap flexibility. Given where the Bruins are as a team, they should go with the younger, cheaper option who could prove to be a piece to roll with into the future.