Blue Jackets' Korpisalo awaits trade deadline outcome: 'It would be sad to leave'
Goalie is pending free agent after seven years in Columbus, making him a trade candidate before Monday deadline. Additional notes: Laine open to extension, Nyquist hopes to avoid trade.
Brian Hedger
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 (third round). “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.”
Nothing is guaranteed.
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 and struggled to stop pucks for two seasons.
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.
Time will ultimately reveal Korpisalo's future, short and long-term, but time hasn’t been kind to him the past two seasons. Since setting an NHL record with 85 saves against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a five-overtime loss during the 2020 postseason, which took place in Toronto within one of the NHL’s COVID-proof “bubbles,” Korpisalo has dealt with maddening 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 a day before training camp in September, effectively choosing him over Korpisalo, and then illness and injury took root. Korpisalo missed three weeks in December with a severe non-COVID 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 lower-body 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. I’ve had this before, too … having some battles inside my head, having to stay patient, just trust myself and put in the work. All you can do is just put in the work and do your best.”
All he can do now is wait to see what happens next.
“You know me … I always say, ‘day-by-day,’” Korpisalo said. “That’s how I’ve always been. I just take one day at a time, focus on what I can do and leave everything else to the side. Something might happen. Something might not happen. We’ll see.”
Patrik Laine would be ‘pretty shocked’ if Blue Jackets move him in deadline deal
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 major 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 also 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.”
Gustav Nyquist wants to stay with the Blue Jackets
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 before the deadline Monday. Nyquist doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but has made his wishes clear.
“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.”
Nyquist, 32, missed last season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He regained top form this year, after a slow start related to timing issues, and has become an integral part of the Jackets’ lineup. Along with playing left wing on the top line, he’s also become one of coach Brad Larsen’s top penalty-killing forwards – a role he first dabbled with under former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella.
Nyquist has also added an alternate captain’s ‘A’ to his jersey with the Blue Jackets and would like to keep it while helping a young team mature into a contender.
“Over the course of the season, we’ve learned a lot of lessons and there’s still a lot of lessons to be learned for such a young team,” Nyquist said. “We’ve got to be one of the youngest teams in the league, but we’re all feeling like we’re building something really good here and I’m excited for the future of this organization.”
bhedger@dispatch.com
@BrianHedger