5. What About Joonas?
I am almost always the last one to count anyone out. Let me get that out of the way. I am a forgiving fan, but I have expectations and my own limits as well.
After showing promise in 31 starts in goal for the Jackets during the 2015-2016 campaign, Joonas Korpisalo has played worse each year since. Blaming the defense isn’t an available option either as the CBJ defensive corps has improved annually since Korpi’s debut.
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Joonas came in as a rookie and posted a very respectable 2.60 goals against average (GAA) and .920 save percentage (SV%). In 16-17 he dipped to 2.86 GAA and .905 SV%. Last year, he backslid again, posting career lows of 3.32 GAA and .897 GAA.
I bring this to light because Sergei Bobrovksy is in the final year of his contract and could play elsewhere next year. The same games for Koorpisalo. On top of that, Latvian phenom Elvis Merzlikins waits on more year in Europe, arguably ready for NHL ice right now.
So, what about Joonas? I feel like we know what we’re going to get from Bob. The cool and collected Finn though, is a bit of a wild card.
If Korpi can get his game together and show marked improvement, he could be heir to the keys of Nationwide’s goalie nets. If a deal isn’t done with Bob, can Joonas carry the flag for Columbus? Can he play well enough that Elvis doesn’t leapfrog his seniority before even stepping foot in Columbus
We have all seen Torts brag on Korpisalo’s ice cold veins dozens of times. There is real pressure on #70 this year though. I like his character as much as anyone on the Jackets roster, but great character alone doesn’t win hockey games.
Personally, I am eager to see what Korpi brings to the arena in 2018-19. We could be watching the near future of the franchise.
Summing It Up
The Columbus Blue Jackets are primed for a strong 2018-19 season. These are just a fraction of the myriad issues that will shape the team’s tremendous success, or surprising failure. Regardless of how any of these five shake out, it’s hard to argue that it’s not a great time to be a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Enjoy the process Columbus faithful.