At the end of the Boston Bruins’ 2024-25 season, general manager Don Sweeney will face a series of important decisions, many of which will revolve around prospects and determining which players will stay in the organization. Some of these choices could also shape the future of current players on the NHL roster.
The Providence Bruins are having a strong season and are likely headed for the Calder Cup Playoffs in the AHL, which will give their younger players a valuable postseason experience. How far they progress will depend on various factors, including their goaltending. One goalie, in particular, has been so impressive this season that he’s currently the top netminder in the AHL, which could create an interesting dilemma for the Bruins’ front office.
Michael DiPietro Poses a Major Off-Season Question for Sweeney
Michael DiPietro has been the standout goalie in the AHL this year, boasting a 23-8-9 record with the P-Bruins, a 2.02 goals-against average, a .929 save percentage, and four shutouts. The 25-year-old has been exceptional, and there’s no denying his talent.
Now, Sweeney faces the question of what to do with DiPietro. Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in 2022 as part of the deal that sent Jack Studnicka to Vancouver, DiPietro is creating a cap space dilemma for the Bruins.
Last June, Sweeney traded Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators and brought in the struggling Joonas Korpisalo. While Korpisalo has improved under the guidance of Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa, he still carries a $3 million cap hit for the next three years. For a team that will have several needs to address this offseason, that’s a significant amount of money tied up in a backup goaltender, which was part of the reason for trading Ullmark.
DiPietro, however, is ready to step up as a full-time NHL backup and would come at a much lower cost than Korpisalo, offering valuable cap relief to the team. The big question now is whether Sweeney will look to move Korpisalo, and if his improved performance this season will be enough to entice another team to take a chance on him.
Buying him out would be too expensive, so moving him seems like the most logical option, potentially opening the door for DiPietro. It’s a tough decision, and one that will likely weigh heavily on Sweeney’s mind.
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