Boston Bruins goaltending frustration reached a boiling point after Joonas Korpisalo's latest outing reignited waiver discussion across Bruins fan circles. What was simmering is now loud.
Korpisalo made his first start in five games last night, and it unraveled quickly.
The Bruins turned to him on a back-to-back, hoping for stability behind Jeremy Swayman, and instead watched the game slip away.
Korpisalo was pulled early in the second period after allowing five goals on just 17 shots. The stat line was ugly, and the eye test was worse. Boston never settled defensively, but timely saves never came either.
This performance landed on top of an already rocky season. Korpisalo has struggled to find consistency, and patience is thinning fast in a market that demands reliability in net.
Almost immediately after the game, the conversation shifted from rest and rotation to waivers. Fans openly questioned whether the Bruins can keep running him out there without consequences.
From a fan perspective, this feels like a breaking point. The Bruins rely heavily on structure, and when goaltending fails to hold that structure together, frustration is inevitable.
Calls are growing to place Korpisalo on waivers and recall help from Providence. Both Michael DiPietro and Simon Zajicek have played well at the AHL level, giving Boston internal options that feel increasingly relevant.
DiPietro is viewed as a steadier backup option, while Zajicek carries more long-term upside. Either path would represent a reset rather than a panic move.
The reality is simple. Jeremy Swayman cannot play every game, but Boston also cannot afford nights where the goaltending sinks the team before it finds its legs.
Marco Sturm and the front office now face a delicate decision. Waiving Korpisalo would be a public admission of failure, but ignoring the problem risks deeper damage.