COLUMBUS, Ohio – Injuries have plagued the Jacket’s goaltending for the past couple of seasons. This year is no exception.
Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky is out with a groin injury, and backup Curtis McElhinney is out with a hurt ankle.
Enter Joonas Korpisalo. The 21-year old Finn has played lights out in the past nine games. On Tuesday against the Islanders Korpisalo made a record 44 saves. Thursday night against the Ducks Korpisalo made 24 saves out of 27 shots in the Jackets 4-3 shootout win. None of the goals scored against the Jackets were defensive errors and not Korpisalo’s fault. In the last nine games, he went 7-1-1. 
In the last five games, Korpisalo has a 2.28 GAA and a save percentage of 93.2. There is no telling when Bobrovsky and McElhinney will return to the lineup, but what happens when they do? Will Korpisalo return to Cleveland? Will there be a goalie controversy?
“We have to be really careful and not jump the gun and say ‘Bang, he has arrived and he’s not going down (to the minors),” said coach John Tortorella. “He has to get minutes.”
Still, this is the NHL and this happens all the time. Fans see an outstanding young goaltender taking the place of a popular, but injured starter. When the starter returns, down goes the up and comer, back to the minors.
This doesn’t just happen to goalies, but every other position in the game. “A kid comes up, shows you what he has, and then the injured guys come back-the guys whose injuries gave him that chance-maybe you have to make some decisions along the way.” said Tortorella.
A very hefty decision indeed.
The last five games before he got hurt, Bobrovsky put up a 2.24 GAA with a save percentage of 0.930. These numbers are very close to Korpisalo’s.
This is where the controversy begins. Bobrovsky is still in his prime at 27 years old. He has won a Vezina Trophy and was a key factor to last season’s end of the year run. Korpisalo is a rookie with some serious potential. He has done well in replacing Bobrovsky in the last nine games and has been an incredible back up to the aforementioned starter. The problem with Korpisalo is that although he has potential, he has yet to play a full year as a back up or a starter. Bobrovsky on the other hand has been injury prone the last two seasons only playing 78 games in a total of 160 games.
This is arguably Bobrovsky’s biggest problem throughout his career.
McElhinney has jumped around to four teams including the Calgary Flames, the Anaheim Ducks, the Ottawa Senators, and now the Jackets in his nine-year career. With a 3.72 GAA and an .898 save percentage. If any of them should go, it should be McElhinney. At 32 years of age he is past his prime. He should retire, but he should have his head held high with the way he has backed up Bobrovsky over the last few years. He deserves a medal for last year’s play when Bobrovsky got hurt.
The decision on who will be the starter or backup will not be a coaching or management decision, but more of a political decision based on what the media says and public opinion.
Talking heads such as Don Cherry, Jeremy Roenick, Mike Millbury, and Liam McHugh will flap their lips on television on what their opinion. Blue Jackets writers such as Michael Arace and Aaron Portzline will write their own opinions as well. All will try to persuade the public to their opinions.
The key word here is opinion. In this case, choosing a starter is very subjective as there is no clear winner.
Both Korpisalo and Bobrovsky have almost identical stats over the last five games they played. However, it is the voice of the fans in Columbus that will ultimately decide. They are the ones that are paying for tickets, paraphernalia, and watching the game on TV.
Who will start, Bobrovsky or Korpisalo? The Jacket’s coaching staff has the final decision on the matter.
“Korpi has not only opened the door, he’s pushed it open. Fully open” said Tortorella. “So we’ll make that call when we come to it.”
As mentioned before, a very hefty decision indeed.
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