The Boston Bruins and goalie Michael DiPietro face an inevitable outcome. The 26-year-old netminder will have to hit waivers at some point this season if the club sends him down to the AHL.
That’s no bueno for the Bruins as they risk losing a promising goalie for nothing. As it stands, the Bruins have Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo as their top two goalies this season. That situation means that something has to give.
Either the Bruins move one of Swayman or Korpisalo (fat chance it’s Swayman) or pray that DiPietro clears waivers.
Given the need for reliable, affordable goaltending around the league, it’s doubtful DiPietro clears. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, or Columbus Blue Jackets could certainly use an up-and-coming goalie like DiPietro.
As such, the Bruins will need to decide what to do. Since moving Swayman would be a no-go from the start, the decision will be down to DiPietro or Korpisalo.
Now, there’s a chance the Bruins could move Korpisalo to a team desperately seeking stability in the crease. But then again, that move may not come now. Of course, there’s always the possibility of a training camp injury or unforeseen event.
For instance, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved to sign veteran James Reimer to a PTO following a leave of absence by Joseph Woll. But unless another team is willing to pay up for a goalie like Korpisalo, such clubs may just wait for the waiver wire to start flashing.
Bruins Could Carry Three Goalies to Start Season
One interesting arrangement, at least to start the season, is to carry three goalies. The Bruins have a smidge over $2 million in cap space. So, the team could fit DiPietro’s cap hit under the cap.
Doing so would avoid the need to place him on waivers. Moreover, the Bruins would avoid losing him for nothing while the season unfolds. Boston could then wait out the market to see which teams become desperate for goaltending help. That’s when the Bruins could pounce on a team’s misfortunes.
Carrying three goalies may not be the most cost-effective option at this point. But then again, why risk losing DiPietro for nothing? He’s put up stellar AHL numbers, especially last season when he appeared in 40 games for Providence, sporting a 2.95 GAA and a .927 SV%. In seven playoff games, he registered a 1.85 GAA and a .928 SV%. Those numbers would surely pique the interest of just about every NHL club.
Boston Could Face Same Situation as Canucks
During this past offseason, the Vancouver Canucks faced a similar situation with Calder Cup MVP Arturs Silovs. The Canucks knew they stood to lose Silovs to waivers once training camp rolled around.
So, the Canucks proactively traded Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That trade highlighted something. Silovs was superb in the AHL, but relatively struggled at the NHL level. And that’s where the Bruins could choose to cut ties with DiPietro.
If the Bruins don’t believe that DiPietro can translate his AHL-level success to the NHL, they may choose to stick with the sure thing. Keeping Swayman and Korpisalo would be the best move instead of hoping that DiPietro can deliver on his potential.
Bruins’ Goalie Faces Inevitable Outcome