The Bruins have already announced their Opening Night starter
Even if things between the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman are smoothed over and put to bed sometime Tuesday morning — or even late Monday night for that matter — the Bruins will find themselves without Swayman truly available in next week’s Opening Night showdown in Sunrise.
“Where we are in camp right now with how well camp has gone [and] how well [Joonas] Korpisalo has done is right now, he’s going to be our game one starter,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery announced ahead of Monday’s practice at TD Garden.
The announcements came as a mere acknowledgement of the facts in front of the club, with Swayman still unsigned and the Bruins running out of preseason games and practice sessions to get him back up to NHL speed by next week.
“I think that the longer you go without seeing NHL shots, and the longer you go without seeing that kind of tempo and pace in front of you, whether it’s five on five scrimmages like we’ve been doing every practice, or getting the game reps, the further back you get pushed,” Montgomery acknowledged. “You know, say a deal gets done [Tuesday], there’s only a possibility of two practices. Korpisalo has done really well and we’re confident in him, so that’s why I referenced him starting game one.”
Korpisalo, for what it’s worth, said that he has not been told anything regarding Opening Night and whether or not he’s starting. He went on to note that it doesn’t change how he approaches things, and that he will continue to ‘work his ass off’ for the club. That work has been paying off in the eyes of the Bruins, too, with Bruins general manager Don Sweeney noting that B’s goalie coach Bob Essensa has been pleased with the work and progress that Korpisalo has made in their system thus far.
In net for two appearances this preseason, Korpisalo has looked solid, with 44 saves on 47 shots faced (a .936 save percentage), and a 24-for-25 line at five-on-five play. The Finnish-born Korpisalo was given the entirety of last Saturday’s overtime loss to the Flyers, and stopped 37 of 40 shots in goal.
If Korpisalo gets the call as currently planned, he will become the first Bruins goalie to make their first start with the club on Opening Night since Manny Fernandez in 2007.
Bruins slice camp roster in half with massive round of cuts
Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Fabian Lysell (23) blocks a pass during the third period against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
Up front, the Bruins decided to send 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell down to Providence.
The talk of the offseason, especially when it came to a vacant ‘RW2’ spot that was intentionally left unaddressed by the club, Lysell started slow this preseason, but appeared to pick things up with a goal and a penalty drawn in his second outing. Lysell also got the call in Saturday’s overtime loss in Philadelphia, and appeared to show some definite progress when it came to his on-ice vision and adapting to pro tendencies.
But it was not enough for Lysell to warrant a longer look this preseason, even with another three games left on the warm-up slate, with Lysell sent to the AHL once again.
In three games this preseason, the 21-year-old Lysell recorded one goal and four shots on goal. Lysell was also tied for the third-most individual scoring chances for (all strengths, with five, according to NaturalStatTrick.
One definite complaint you can have about Lysell this preseason is that the Black and Gold didn’t really seem to get him involved with NHL-level talent beyond the opening days, with Lysell’s final preseason appearance coming on what was a third-line look with Johnny Beecher and Patrick Brown.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 04: Georgii Merkulov #42 of the Boston Bruins takes a shot against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at TD Garden on January 04, 2024. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Along with Lysell, the Bruins also sent Georgii Merkulov, another player who was considered a potential favorite (among young players anyway) to make the NHL jump, back down to the AHL.
Merkulov’s demotion comes with the Russian-born forward tied for the team lead with two points (both assists) through three games this preseason. For Merkulov, who was at one point in camp lauded by Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery for his practice habits and efforts, the best play of the preseason came on a slick backhand dish to Justin Brazeau for a goal in last Tuesday’s preseason win over the Capitals at TD Garden.
In addition to the points, Merkulov was credited with three hits, a blocked shot, and won 14 of 30 faceoffs throughout his three-game preseason run with the club.
Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Trevor Kuntar (52) deflects a shot on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi (27) during the first period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
Elsewhere up front, the Bruins also reassigned forwards Joey Abate, Riley Duran, Brett Harrison, Trevor Kuntar, Adam Mechura, and Jaxon Nelson to AHL Providence. Both Harrison (Thursday in NY) and Kuntar (last Sunday against the Rangers) found the back of the net during their preseason runs with the Bruins.
One notable when it came to this round of cuts is that Tyler Johnson, who is with the Bruins on a pro tryout, remains with the NHL club here beyond the halfway point of the preseason slate.
Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Michael Callahan (79) checks a shot by New York Rangers center Jake Leschyshyn (15) during the second period at TD Garden. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
On the point, the Bruins went with some definite expected cuts, with Drew Bavaro, Frederic Brunet, Michael Callahan, Jackson Edward, Ryan Mast, and Mason Millman all assigned to Providence for the opening of P-Bruins camp. Nobody in this group was expected to compete for NHL minutes with the Bruins out of the gate.
In fact, this appears to be a case of the Black and Gold going with the path of least resistance when it comes to their first cuts from the backend, with every waiver-eligible defender who’s ultimately bound for the AHL by the time the season starts remaining with the club at this point in camp.
The B’s backend probably has the least room for movement out of every position group on this roster, with Parker Wotherspoon expected to be Boston’s seventh defenseman after a strong finish to his 2023-24.
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 13: Kasimir Kaskisuo #50 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates in warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on November 13, 2019. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
In goal, the Bruins assigned Ryan Bischel and Nolan Maier to Providence, while veteran Kasimir Kaskisuo was released from his pro tryout with the club but also assigned to the P-Bruins.
All three goaltenders failed to draw into action for the club prior to their respective cuts.
