On Feb. 20, the Boston Bruins assigned Michael DiPietro to the American Hockey League (AHL) after being called up on an emergency basis.
DiPietro was acquired in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks in 2022 and has been a mainstay in their AHL organization, the Providence Bruins. This season, Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo have held the net steady.
Where does he fit into their future?
According to RG’s James Murphy, the team will be looking into moving Korpisalo soon, as the retool continues unabated. This could give DiPietro some traction for the backup job in Boston. Here’s RG’s James Murphy on the topic from January:
“They’ve been trying hard to find a dance partner and move him. As it has been each time they’ve put feelers out there, his performance and cap hit have been the main issue. Some teams are looking for depth and an upgrade in their backup position, but Korpisalo is not that this season.” – James Murphy, Yahoo Sports
Related: Bruins Have 2 Goalie Prospects to Keep an Eye On
During this March’s trade deadline, if the team moves on from Korpisalo, the future could be bright in Boston.
The only obstacles general manager (GM) Don Sweeney faces with Korpisalo? He has a ten-team no-trade clause and $8 million total value left on his contract.
Bruins Have a Choice to Make
DiPietro’s been one of the Bruins’ best prospects this season.
DiPietro, 26, posted an 8-1-0 record in the month of January, with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage. The 6-foot, 205-pound goaltender allowed no more than one goal in six of his nine games played, including a shutout win over Cleveland on Jan. 17. -Providence Bruins
He’s played a total of 29 games, with a 1.65 goals-against average (GAA) and a .942 save percentage (SV%). His contract cost? Compared to Korpisalo’s $4 million average annual value (AAV), it is $812,500 (total value $1.63 million) and expires in 2027. An affordable backup with a higher upside is a common-sense choice of who to promote next.
Sweeney will have to contend with the fact that the Bruins will have to move on from their Finnish goaltender, Korpisalo, to recoup some assets for the once-great goaltender (with the Columbus Blue Jackets).
Who can forget his 85-save game against the Tampa Bay Lightning?
Since leaving Columbus, his stock has fluctuated, and we’re not certain of the value he could fetch. With a no-trade clause, the Bruins’ leverage is lessened. They’ll have to accept less for him.
In 22 games, his record is 10-8-2, with a 3.15 GAA and a .893 SV%.
The Bruins were outplayed and outclassed by the Edmonton Oilers throughout Tuesday night’s loss, and the frustration from fans boiled over as the team careened to its fifth straight winless contest. Fans booed the team heavily during a fruitless third-period power play, and a loud “Fire Sweeney” chant echoed throughout the stadium.
In the long run, you want to position the team to win, especially after drawing the ire from fans last season who chanted “Fire Sweeney.”
DiPietro Is One Long-Term Solution for the Bruins’ Woes
On Friday night, the P-Bruins blew past the Belleville Senators in their 13th straight victory in the AHL this season (5-2). DiPietro continues to set himself apart from the rest of the goaltending crop in the minor leagues with a 25-save game on 27 shots against. The P-Bruins faced 39 in total last night.
The minor-league Bruins sit atop the Atlantic Division thanks to a solid team effort, including help from Georgii Merkulov (two assists), Matej Blumel (one goal, one assist), and Brett Harrison (two goals).
With DiPietro’s help, the team has a record of 38-8-1 and 77 points in 2025-26.
In March, it is time for Don Sweeney to revisit the situation in net and consider moving on from Korpisalo and keeping the talent flush with new blood to give the Bruins a chance to win. That means giving Jeremy Swayman a backup he can rely upon in Michael DiPietro.
