Boston Bruins disrespect newly signed goaltender Jeremy Swayman with their opening night starter
The Boston Bruins have had a circus of an off season and now even with their starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman back they have made a surprising decision just before opening night.
Tensions ran high between Swayman and General Manager Don Sweeney in recent weeks, but after much speculation, the two sides reached an agreement. Just days before the 2024-25 season Swayman signed an eight year deal worth $8.25 million per season. Despite this, the Bruins won't be starting him in net for the season opener.
Instead, Joonas Korpisalo will get the nod when the Bruins hit the road to face the Florida Panthers (unless the game is canceled due to other circumstances). A few weeks ago, the team hinted that if they couldn't reach a deal with Swayman, Korpisalo would start. Even with the contract finalized, they're sticking with Korpisalo for the opener.
Korpisalo is an experienced goalie, so it's not the worst option for the Bruins. However, after watching Swayman and Linus Ullmark perform at an elite level in recent seasons, this feels like a step down. Last season, Korpisalo struggled with the Ottawa Senators, posting a poor .890 save percentage. However, the Bruins are hoping he can rediscover his 2022-23 form, where he achieved a .917 save percentage between his time in LA and Columbus.
Swayman is expected to take over soon, but for now, it's strange to see Korpisalo in net with Swayman locked in as the future of the Bruins' goaltending.
