Blue Jackets’ Korpisalo eyes deadline
Goalie a trade candidate before Monday time limit
Joonas Korpisalo’s eyes matched the red mop of hair that nearly touches his shoulders.
A lump also grew in his throat, as the Blue Jackets’ backup goalie spoke about Monday’s pending 3 p.m. trade deadline and whether he’ll feel sadness if a deal ends his time in Columbus.
“One-hundred percent,” Korpisalo said, thinking about a journey to the NHL from Finland that began with the Blue Jackets drafting him in 2012. “I’ve been here seven years and I feel like it’s my family. The team has changed, but the same guys — trainers, equipment guys — they’ve stayed and I’ve always felt so welcome coming here every day. I like the city, too, and everything here. So, yeah, it would be sad to leave.”
There are times when trade candidates aren’t moved at the deadline, and there’s reason to believe that might be the case with Korpisalo, a pending free
agent who has struggled to stay healthy.
If so, then Korpisalo’s relief appearance Saturday at Nationwide Arena in a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues won’t be his final game in a Blue Jackets uniform. He may even get one more chance to own the Columbus net while starter Elvis Merzlikins deals an injury that forced him from the game in the third period Saturday.
Since setting an NHL record with 85 saves against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a five-overtime loss during the 2020 postseason, Korpisalo has dealt with inconsistency.
He started hot last year, but pucks have since slipped past him with regularity. The Blue Jackets also signed Merzlikins to a five-year contract extension in September, effectively choosing him over Korpisalo, and then illness and injury took root. Korpisalo missed three weeks in December with a severe NONCOVID upper respiratory illness, missed another week in January with a COVID infection and was shelved for eight games Feb. 15 to Mar. 5 with a lowerbody injury.
“It just breaks your rhythm,” Korpisalo
said. “But I’m trying to stay positive. That’s the last thing you want to do is to get down, so I’m just plugging away and trying to get back on the horse.”
Laine would be ‘pretty shocked’ if Blue Jackets move him
Patrik Laine has restored his reputation as an elite NHL forward this season and has only one year of restricted free agency left.
Those two factors have led to speculation that he might be used as a trade asset by the Blue Jackets at some point. Laine told The Dispatch last week that he’s not worried about it, but added that he would be surprised if it happened in a deadline deal.
“I think I’m past that point of worrying,” said the 23-year old forward, who leads the Jackets with 25 goals and is tied for the team lead with 48 points. “I think I’ve done everything I could in this situation, and if that kind of thing happens, then it just happens and I’ve got to move on. But I’m not gonna lie, I’d be pretty shocked at this point.”
Laine said he’s open to signing a contract extension that keeps him in Columbus beyond next season. The sides have yet to begin serious discussions, but are expected to ramp up talks in the offseason — another indicator that Laine will probably not be traded before the deadline.
“I love it here and I’d love to play here in the future,” Laine said. “I think it’s just up to (the front office). Whenever they want to talk, we’ll listen and kind of go from there. We’ve still got lots of time with the deadline and everything going around, but I’m sure it’ll be a topic at some point.”
Nyquist wants to stay
Gustav Nyquist isn’t a rental forward, so teams that might be interested in adding him need a plan to account for his $5.5 million salary-cap hit next season.
That doesn’t mean the veteran forward won’t generate interest from contenders. Nyquist doesn’t have a no-trade clause but has made his wishes clear this week.
“All I can say is I love it here,” said Nyquist, who signed with the Blue Jackets in 2019. “I think we’ve got a great group of guys and we’re building something really good here. It’s something I want to be a part of, but it’s just the business we’re in and anything can happen.” bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger
BLUE JACKETS 5, BLUES 4
St. Louis 1 1 2 — 4
Columbus 2 1 2 — 5
First Period: 1. Columbus, Bemstrom 3 (Gavrikov, Robinson), 3:22; 2. St. Louis, Perron 19 (Krug, Schenn), 12:36 (pp); 3. Columbus, Nyquist 15 (Bjorkstrand, Laine), 15:14 (pp). Penalties: Faulk, STL (hooking), 4:34; Bean, CBJ (holding), 12:01; O'reilly, STL (tripping), 14:35.
Second Period: 4. Columbus, Laine 25 (Nyquist, Roslovic), 3:52; 5. St. Louis, Toropchenko 1 (Perron, Faulk), 13:43. Penalties: Sundqvist, STL (holding), 0:48; Werenski, CBJ (slashing), 18:13.
Third period: 6. Columbus, Kuraly 11 (Bemstrom, Robinson), 6:59; 7. St. Louis, Perron 20 (Krug, Schenn), 8:03 (pp); 8. Columbus, Voracek 4 (Bean, Bjorkstrand), 12:24; 9. St. Louis, Perron 21 (Buchnevich, Kyrou), 18:40. Penalties: Gavrikov, CBJ (hooking), 7:29; Perron, STL (holding), 13:49.
Shots on goal: St. Louis 9-11-8—28; Columbus 13-7-7—27. Power plays: St. Louis 2 of 3; Columbus 1 of 4. Goalies: St. Louis, Husso 15-5-4 (27 shots-22 saves); Columbus, Korpisalo 7-10-0 (7-5), Columbus, Merzlikins 22-15-3 (21-19). A: 19,005. T: 2:29.