Pressure is building around the Bruins crease, and the conversation keeps circling back to one name. Joonas Korpisalo's season has become a problem the club can no longer ignore.

Management opened camp with one message, playoffs or bust. Even with Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Viktor Arvidsson and Casey Mittelstadt missing stretches, Boston keeps hanging in the race.

Jeremy Swayman's rebound season anchors that push, while Morgan Geekie's surge helps soften key absences. Korpisalo, however, has not matched that rise.

The trade that sent Linus Ullmark to Ottawa returned Mark Kastelic, a first-round pick and Korpisalo.

Kastelic earned an extension, and Dean Letourneau now looks promising at Boston College after early doubts. Korpisalo's place in that return remains the most contentious piece.

Last year, both Bruins goalies struggled, prompting Korpisalo to argue he deserved more starts.

Don Sweeney later admitted he might have. That context complicates this season's poor numbers, because they do not tell the full story.

Korpisalo's best work often comes under heavy fire. In games with over 30 shots against, he has posted strong nights like his .949 outing versus St. Louis.

In lighter workloads, his save percentage drops sharply. His record sits at 5-6-0, good for a .456 points percentage, only two wins coming in regulation.

Boston Bruins need stability behind Jeremy Swayman

Fans see the contrast every night. The team plays visibly more confidently when Swayman allows an early goal than when Korpisalo does. Marco Sturm's system is not built to chase games, yet slow starts and untimely saves keep forcing Boston into that position.

Many supporters now push for action, either a trade or a trip to the Providence Bruins. The cap math complicates both.

Demoting Korpisalo frees only $1.15 million, and swapping him for Michael DiPietro saves just $337,500 in total space. A trade likely requires a goalie coming back, which solves little.

DiPietro's athleticism tempts fans, but Boston cannot experiment one-third into a playoff chase. If an injury hits, the opportunity will come, but not yet. For now, the Bruins must decide whether loyalty or urgency defines their crease.