The Columbus Blue Jackets have their starting goaltender set in stone, but Joonas Korpisalo is making the case to solidify the backup position.

The backup goaltender position is one that does not need to play often, but sometimes they have to play a tougher game with an out of division rival while the starter gets an easier in-division game. The backup does not need to be Vezina contender, they just need to help the team contend, and the Blue Jackets have that in Korpisalo.

Joonas Korpisalo the Backup that Can Help Columbus Contend

Strong Beginnings

Korpisalo came to Columbus under rather unfortunate circumstances when Sergei Bobrovsky was injured in December of 2015. A few games later on December 14th, Korpisalo would have his first NHL start. On December 19th, he would he get his first NHL win in a shootout against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Over the course of the next few months, Korpisalo played in 31 games, with 16 wins and a 2.60 GAA. His save percentage was a solid .920 during this stretch. For a 21-year-old with no prior NHL experience, his GSAA, goals saved above average, was a 9.18; meaning he was saving nine more goals than the average goaltender in the NHL. He also had an HDSv%, high-danger save percentage, of 83.33%. Again, that is pretty good for a goaltender who had never played at the highest level before.

Korpisalo, once Bobrovsky came back from injury, would go play for the then Lake Erie Monsters. But his numbers in the NHL would prove to be much better than his AHL numbers. During the 2015-16 AHL season, he played in 18 games, winning only eight of those games. Korpisalo had a GAA of 2.36 and save percentage of .913.

Anton Forsberg started in the playoffs for the Monsters, but Korpisalo would come in relief of Forsberg during the second round. Korpisalo would then lead the Monsters to their first ever AHL Calder Cup Championship.

Struggles and Bright Spots

Last season, the jury was out on who would end up being the backup for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney played seven games – posting a 2.39 GAA and .924 save percentage – before being placed on waivers and ending up with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Anton Forsberg played in one game, giving up four goals and then getting sent back to the AHL.

There were some fans that thought Columbus was wrong to trade McElhinney after posting a strong showing. They also thought that he was only traded because of blown 4-1 lead to the New York Rangers.

Korpisalo ended up winning the role of backup, playing in 14 games, winning half and adding one overtime loss. With a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of .905, some could not help but wonder where the Korpisalo of last season had gone. His HDSv% was 78.95 and GSAA was -1.31. Even with the HDSv% not as high as the year before, Korpisalo was still 31st out of goalies that played at least 600 minutes; just four spots behind former Vezina winner Braden Holtby, who had an HDSv% of 79.53.

Korpisalo’s GSAA of -1.31 is also not out of place among backup goaltenders. Those around him in the rankings were Carter Hutton (-2.04), Peter Budaj (-2.36),and Mike Condon (-2.44).

Bright Spots for Joonas Korpisalo

This season, Korpisalo has played in four games, winning one of them. His current GSAA is -1.78 with an HDSv% of 76.92 and xSV – expected save percentage – of 91.02.

Compared to fellow backups his numbers are not as bad as people make them out to be. Ondrej Pavelec from the Rangers has a GSAA of 0.25, HDSv% of 68.42, and an xSV of 88.41. Fellow young Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros from the Nashville Predators has a GSAA of -5.74, HDSv% 73.91, and xSv of 90.67. Cam Ward from the Carolina Hurricanes has a GSAA of 1.01, HDSv% of 71.43, and xSV of 91.3.

Joonas Korpisalo is only 23 years old and plays in one of every three to four games. Without getting regular playing time, his development will be slower. Slower, even, than a goaltender who is playing starting minutes in the AHL or in juniors. Bobrovsky only became the Bobrovsky we all know and love after playing in almost 100 games. Even after winning his first Vezina, it took another four seasons to return to that form due to injury complications.

So far, Korpisalo has played in 45 games, but the majority of those games were played almost two years ago. Still, he’s very young and has room to grow. Most 23-year-olds are not going to be full-fledged Vezina winners, and he will have plenty of time to develop into one.

Until then, Joonas Korpisalo is more than capable playing backup for the Blue Jackets.

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