The Finnish men’s Olympic hockey team is making a late adjustment in net, and while it’s not the headline move some expected, it’s a significant one for a squad looking to defend its gold medal in Milan.
With Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Finland has turned to Boston Bruins backup Joonas Korpisalo to fill the vacant spot on the roster. Luukkonen suffered the injury during Buffalo’s 7-4 win over the Maple Leafs on January 27, tweaking something while trying to stop Toronto’s second goal of the night.
While he’s been progressing in his recovery, the timeline just didn’t line up with the Olympic schedule. He’s out week-to-week, and Finland couldn’t afford to wait.
Enter Korpisalo, who joins Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) and Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks) as the three netminders heading to Milan. Realistically, Korpisalo is sliding into the third-string role, but that doesn’t make his selection insignificant.
In fact, given the shallow pool of Finnish goalies with NHL experience this season, Korpisalo was the obvious pick. Only seven Finnish goalies have seen NHL ice time this year, and among the available group, Korpisalo was the only one with a save percentage north of .890.
He’s not exactly lighting it up statistically, but he’s been solid in a backup role for Boston. Through 21 games, Korpisalo holds a 10-8-1 record, an .895 save percentage, one shutout, and a 5-on-5 goals saved above expected (GSAx) of zero. That GSAx mark actually ranks third among Finnish NHL goalies this season - ahead of Saros, who’s expected to be Finland’s starter in Milan.
That’s not to say there’s a goalie controversy brewing. Saros, with his experience and steady play for Nashville, is still the presumed No.
- Lankinen slots in as the backup, and Korpisalo gives Finland a dependable insurance policy - someone who’s no stranger to the international stage.
This will be Korpisalo’s eighth time suiting up for Finland, having previously appeared in the 2017 World Championships and the 2013 and 2014 World Juniors.
As for Luukkonen, his absence stings. The 24-year-old has been a big part of Buffalo’s recent surge, putting together an 11-7-2 record with a .903 save percentage and a 0.03 GSAx at 5-on-5 this season. It’s been a bounce-back campaign for him, and this would’ve been his first Olympic appearance - a major milestone missed due to tough timing.
Still, Finland isn’t short on pedigree. They’re the reigning Olympic champions from Beijing 2022 and took bronze in the last best-on-best tournament back in Sochi 2014.
With a deep, experienced roster and a goaltending trio that offers both reliability and upside, they’ll open their Olympic title defense against Slovakia on Wednesday, February 11 at 10:40 a.m. ET.
The road to another medal won’t be easy, but even with a late change in the crease, Finland remains a team built for tournament hockey - structured, disciplined, and now with a fresh face in goal ready to step in if called upon.