Korpisalo signs two-year contract with Blue Jackets

Joonas Korpisalo signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The goalie, who turns 26 on April 28, could have become a restricted free agent after the season.

"I think it's great," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He earned the contract. He's played great. He's improved year after year and got a great opportunity to play more this year and earned an All-Star berth. I think we all believe that he has his best years ahead of him."

Korpisalo is 19-12-5 with a 2.60 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and two shutouts in 37 games (35 starts) for Columbus this season. He was selected to the Metropolitan Division team for the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game but was unable to play because of a knee injury sustained during a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 29. He returned to the lineup Feb. 24 after missing 25 games.

"Joonas had the opportunity to play a lot of games for us early in the season before he was injured and responded by playing at an All-Star level," Kekalainen said. "He is a young, talented goaltender with a great work ethic and desire to succeed, and we are very excited to see his continued development and improvement moving forward."

Among goalies who played at least 25 games, Korpisalo was fifth in the NHL in GAA (2.31) and tied for ninth in save percentage (.920) from Nov. 1 through March 12, when the NHL paused the season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Teammate Elvis Merzlikins was second in GAA (2.20) and save percentage (.926) in that span using the same parameters.

The Blue Jackets also intend to re-sign Merzlikins, who can become a restricted free agent after the season, Kekalainen said.

"That's the reason why we didn't go out and sign anybody this summer," he said. "We believed in our two young goaltenders to be able to take the responsibility with (Sergei) Bobrovsky gone, and we gave them that opportunity and they made the most of it. They earned it and proved that we were right having that faith in them. It was great to see.

"It's a great situation for us to have two talented young goalies and hopefully we'll have both under contract soon."

The Blue Jackets selected Korpisalo in the third round (No. 62) of the 2012 NHL Draft, and he is 60-43-13 with a 2.80 GAA, a .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 127 NHL games (116 starts) over five seasons.