Finland Loses Luukkonen to Injury, Taps Korpisalo Ahead of Olympic Opener
Finland’s Olympic men’s hockey team will be without one of its key netminders when the puck drops in Milan next week. Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been ruled out of the tournament with a lower-body injury, and in his place, Boston Bruins veteran Joonas Korpisalo has been called in as a late replacement.
A Tough Break, A Quick Turnaround
Luukkonen’s injury came on Jan. 27 during a game in Toronto, when he exited just over 12 minutes into the first period of what would become a 7-4 Sabres win. Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff initially described the injury as something Luukkonen was "progressing" through, but by the time February rolled in, the writing was on the wall.
On Feb. 3, Finland made it official: Luukkonen was out, and Korpisalo was in.
It’s a blow for a Finnish squad that’s leaned heavily on consistency in goal. Local outlets described the loss as a late punch to the gut, especially given how close it came to the team’s departure.
Luukkonen’s injury happened on a stretch save, and he hadn’t returned to the ice with the Sabres since. With NHL players set to arrive in Milan on Feb. 8 and Finland’s Olympic opener against Slovakia scheduled for Feb. 11, the timing couldn’t have been tighter.
Now, Korpisalo has just a few days to jump into the Olympic mix-travel, team meetings, goalie rotations and all.
Finland’s Goalie Group Still Holds Its Shape
It’s important to note: this isn’t a full-on reshuffle. Luukkonen wasn’t expected to start, but rather to round out a three-goalie unit.
With Korpisalo stepping in, Finland maintains its original structure in net. Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen remain the primary tandem, with Korpisalo now slotted into the third spot.
This kind of depth matters more than ever in Olympic play. The tournament format is short and sharp-one off night in the crease can derail a medal run.
And with NHL players back in the mix for the first time since Sochi 2014, the stakes are higher and the margin for error even smaller. Finland captured gold in Beijing 2022 without NHL talent, but this time around, the roster is built with top-tier pros.
Losing Luukkonen means one fewer NHL-tested option in the goalie room, and that impacts everything from practice reps to emergency planning.
General manager Jere Lehtinen kept it businesslike in the federation’s announcement: a quick note of support for Luukkonen, a welcome to Korpisalo, and a nod to moving forward. It’s the kind of statement that says a lot by saying very little. Finland’s not panicking-they’re just pivoting.
What Korpisalo Brings to the Table
For Korpisalo, this is a career moment that came with a single phone call. The 31-year-old has appeared in 21 games this season for the Bruins, posting a 10-8-1 record and a .895 save percentage. That’s a respectable workload, but now he’s shifting from NHL rhythm to Olympic urgency.
The good news for Finland? Korpisalo’s been here before-maybe not at the Olympics, but definitely in high-pressure, high-stakes scenarios.
Back in the 2020 NHL Playoffs, he turned in one of the most memorable goaltending performances in league history, stopping 85 shots in a five-overtime epic against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That game wasn’t just a marathon-it was a mental and physical gauntlet, and Korpisalo passed it with flying colors.
His playoff resume also includes a .941 save percentage in the 2019-20 postseason, which ties for the best single-playoff SV% in NHL records. Sure, that was five years ago, but it shows what kind of ceiling he has when he’s locked in. For Finland, that’s exactly the kind of veteran presence you want in the bullpen-someone who can come in cold and still give you a chance to win.
A New Chapter, at the Right Time
This will be Korpisalo’s first Olympic appearance and his first international tournament since the 2017 IIHF World Championship. That’s a long gap, but this is the kind of stage that can redefine a goalie’s career arc. He may not be the starter, but he’s now one crease injury or one hot streak away from playing a pivotal role in Finland’s medal hopes.
Back in Boston, the Bruins will have to adjust without him for a bit. But for Korpisalo, the focus shifts to Milan, where a golden opportunity awaits-literally.
Finland may have lost a young, promising goaltender in Luukkonen, but they’re bringing in a battle-tested veteran who’s shown he can handle the chaos. And in a tournament where one bounce can change everything, that kind of experience is worth its weight in gold.