Joonas Korpisalo and Blue Jackets agree to one-year contract extension
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is sticking around in Columbus.
According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Blue Jackets and Korpisalo have agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $1.3 million. Korpisalo was eligible to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career his summer.
The Blue Jackets have signed G Joonas Korpisalo to a one-year extension worth $1.3 million. Big show of faith in 28-year-old coming off a rough season (7-11-0, 4.15, .877) and major hip surgery in April.
Korpisalo was set to become a UFA for the first time this summer.#CBJ
Korpisalo had the worst season of his career in 2021-22, posting an .877 save percentage over the course of 22 games. In March, it was announced that Korpisalo had been playing through an injury and that he would have season-ending hip surgery.
The hope for the Blue Jackets is that Korpisalo can bounce back to being an effective goaltender after going through the process of having surgery and they can operate with the familiar goaltending tandem of him and Elvis Merzlikins.
The Blue Jackets originally selected Korpisalo in the third round of the 2012 draft. He made his debut for the team during the 2015-16 season and posted a sparkling .920 save percentage over 31 games. All told, Korpisalo has a .902 save percentage
Korpisalo’s best showing as a Blue Jacket came during the 2020 playoff bubble when he posted a .956 save percentage in a surprising series win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the play-in round.