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Joonas Korpisalo Trade Price Point Perhaps Revealed

By Franklin Steele

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 30: Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo #70 celebrates a victory with teammate Jakub Voracek #93 against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on January 30, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 30: Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo #70 celebrates a victory with teammate Jakub Voracek #93 against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on January 30, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo has been involved in trade rumors ever since Elvis Merzlikins inked his five-year extension in September. The organization made it clear which goalie they wanted to be in their crease with that signing, signaling that the former third-round pick could be available.

Korpisalo is on the last season of a two-year contract and carries a managable cap hit of $2.8 million. For teams looking for help in goal, the Blue Jackets are just a phone call away.

In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, Elliotte Friedman may have given us some insight into what general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could be looking for in exchange for Korpisalo’s services. In a larger piece examining the Edmonton Oilers’ firing of head coach Dave Tippett, the mega inside noted the following:

"Ken Holland fought — internally and externally — against making panic moves during Edmonton’s 2-11-2 December/January swoon.He wasn’t willing to give up second- or third-round picks (or, potentially both in the latter’s case) for Martin Jones or Joonas Korpisalo."

That is certainly worth noting for Blue Jackets fans as the March 21 trade deadline gets closer and teams figure out where their needs are.

This is a pretty steep ask for Korpisalo based on how he’s played this season. Forty eight goalies have appeared in 15 or more games in 2021-22. Among those netminders, his GSAA of minus-12.92 ranks 47th according to StatHead.

That means that the Blue Jackets more or less start every game that Korpisalo appears in down a goal. If Kekalainen actually manages to turn him into both a second- and third-round draft pick, it’ll be an absolute steal for Columbus.

Even landing a third roudner for Korpisalo would be a huge win, and would give the Blue Jackets five picks in the first three rounds.

Do you think Columbus will manage to acquire a noteworthy pick for the pending UFA netminder? Where do you think he could land if a trade does go down? Let us know down in the comments, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

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