Joonas Korpisalo entered the 2021 season with a new contract in hand, eager to build on his stand-out performance in the 2020 playoff bubble. That playoff run featured two shutouts of the potent Toronto offense and a record-setting 85 saves in a marathon five overtime game against Tampa.
Sadly, that kind of dominance was few and far between for Korpisalo and the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. In fact, it ended up being the worst statistical season of his six year career, with his lowest save percentage and second lowest goals against average.
The season started well enough, when Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins were alternating starts.