Senators counting on Korpisalo to stabilize goaltending

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2023-24 regular season, which starts Oct. 10. Today, the Ottawa Senators:

2022-23 season: 39-35-8, sixth in Atlantic Division, missed Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key Arrivals

Vladimir Tarasenko, F: The 31-year-old signed a one-year contract July 27. He had 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 69 games with the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers last season, including 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 31 games after being traded to New York on Feb. 9. He also had four points (three goals, one assist) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games. He should provide extra scoring following the trade of forward Alex DeBrincat. ... Joonas Korpisalo, G:The 29-year-old signed a five-year contract on July 1 and is expected to get the No. 1 job, although holdover Anton Forsberg will push him for it in training camp. Korpisalo was 18-14-4 with a 2.87 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and one shutout in 39 games (37 starts) for the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets last season, including 7-3-1 with a 2.13 GAA, .921 save percentage and one shutout in 11 regular-season games after he was acquired in a trade with the Blue Jackets on March 1. Korpisalo was 2-4 with a 3.77 GAA and .892 save percentage in six playoff games. … Dominik Kubalik, F:Acquired along with defenseman prospect Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round pick and a fourth-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Detroit Red Wings for DeBrincat on July 9. The 27-year-old had 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 81 games for the Red Wings last season. … Zack MacEwen, F:He signed a three-year contract July 6 to bring some size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) to the bottom-six forward group. The 27-year-old had 10 points (four goals, six assists) and 66 penalty minutes in 56 games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings last season.

Key Departures

Alex DeBrincat, F:The 25-year-old, who has one season remaining on his contract, was traded to Detroit after informing the Senators that he would not sign another contract with them. He had 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 82 games last season, his only one in Ottawa. … Cam Talbot, G: The 36-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Kings on July 1 after going 17-14-2 with a 2.92 GAA and an .898 save percentage in 36 games with the Senators last season.

On the cusp

Video: Joonas Korpisalo joins the Ottawa Senators , F:Selected No. 28 in the 2020 NHL Draft, he showed flashes of offensive flair in his 20-game audition with the Senators last season and has a realistic shot to start this season with Ottawa. The 20-year-old had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the NHL. … Video: Joonas Korpisalo joins the Ottawa Senators , F: The 23-year-old led Belleville of the American Hockey League with 59 points (21 goals, 38 assists) in 70 games and was named team MVP. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in five games with the Senators last season and will be vying for a spot in Ottawa's bottom six. Sokolov was selected in the second round (No. 61) in the 2020 NHL Draft.

What they still need

One of the Senators' biggest requirements can be filled if Korpisalo can give them the type of steady goaltending they've been lacking the past few seasons. Talbot was OK last season but Ottawa needs the type of play in goal that can be the difference in tight games. If Ottawa wants to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017, the team will have to improve in cutting down goals against; the Senators were 20th in the NHL in that category (271). A full season from defenseman Jakob Chychrun, a key trade deadline acquisition from the Arizona Coyotes, will definitely help but the Senators will only go as far as Korpisalo takes them. As for Forsberg, his contribution to that goal is contingent on health; injuries limited him to 28 games last season.

They said it

"We're going [into this season] with what we feel will be one of the better tandems in the League. We'd like to have guys at the caliber of (Andrei) Vasilevskiy (of the Tampa Bay Lightning), but there's only a few of them. We feel in that next group, as a tandem, those guys will be really good. They're good friends, I think they will push each other." -- general manager Pierre Dorion on goalies Korpisalo and Forsberg

Fantasy focus

The Senators' young core boosts their chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the addition of Korpisalo, who has been a proven playoff performer. This season could be the most valuable fantasy season of Korpisalo's career since the 29-year-old has always played as part of a goalie tandem but will likely be the clear starter with Ottawa. He has high fantasy upside after having an impressive save percentage (.913 in 28 games) for the Columbus Blue Jackets last regular season considering they allowed the second-most shots on goal per game (35.4) in the NHL.-- Anna Dua

Projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Video: Joonas Korpisalo joins the Ottawa Senators -- Claude Giroux

Drake Batherson -- Josh Norris -- Vladimir Tarasenko

Mathieu Joseph -- Shane Pinto -- Dominik Kubalik

Parker Kelly -- Mark Kastelic -- Zack MacEwen

Thomas Chabot -- Jakob Chychrun

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub

Erik Brannstrom -- Travis Hamonic

Joonas Korpisalo

Anton Forsberg