Goaltenders.
The New York Islanders have a lot of them.
At the NHL level, the Islanders are in tip-top shape, with Ilya Sorokin locked in for eight seasons and Semyon Varlamov another three.
Knowing that veteran Ken Appleby was likely to sign elsewhere this summer — having since joined the Charlotte Checkers — the Islanders signed former Ottawa Senators netminder Marcus Hogberg to a two-year deal out of Europe.
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Hogberg is likely to serve as the team’s third-string netminder in case either of the NHL regulars is injured, likely to be in a Bridgeport tandem with Jakub Skarek (2018, Rd 3).
Skarek has struggled mightily in his three years with Bridgeport, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see his contract terminated with one year left or for this to be his final year with the organization.
The reason why is that Henrik Tikkanen (2020, Rd. 7) was dominant, outplaying Skarek last season in his short stint with Bridgeport, before being returned to Worcester, the club’s ECHL affiliate, which was hoping to be playoff-bound — Bridgeport was not.
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Don’t be shocked if Tikkanen starts the 2024-25 season in Bridgeport.
That brings us to Tristan Lennox (2021, Rd 3), who was Tikkanen’s goalie partner in Worcester.
In his first season of pro hockey, Lennox only played in 13 games, posting a 2.94 GAA and a .909 SV% before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Related: Islanders Goalie Prospect Tristan Lennox Has Sights Set on Bridgeport Opening
Per The Worcester Guardian’s Bill Ballou, Lennox will not be ready to start the 2024-25 season due to that “devastating” knee injury.
John Muse, who joined Worcester mid-season, is back, per Ballou. After a trade with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, Worcester also brought in veteran Michael Bullion.
So, they have some veteran stability in goal, with the hope that Lennox can get back in the fold sooner rather than later.
Stefen Rosner / The Hockey News
Although the Islanders hope Sorokin will be their No. 1 netminder through 2032-33, they’ll eventually need a serviceable backup.
Lennox could be the guy who will be just 24 years old when Varlamov’s contract comes to an end.
But with any prospects, you never know.
That’s why the Islanders added even more goalie depth at the 2024 NHL Draft, using their fourth and fifth-round picks to acquire netminders.
Although they aren’t expected to come to North America this season, the Islanders added KHL goalie Dmitry Gamzin and Swedish netminder Marcus Gidlof.
Gamzin posted a 1.98 GAA and .937 SV% in 13 games with CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and a 2.42 GAA and .922 SV% in 23 games with Zvezda Moscow of the All-Russian Hockey League (VHL). The left-catch goaltender is 6’ 3” and 174 pounds.
Gidlöf put up a 2.22 GAA and .923 SV% in 26 games with Leksands IF J20 of the J20 Nationell League. In five playoff games with Leksands IF J20, Gidlöf had a 3.14 GAA and a .895 SV%.
The left-catch Swede has a staggering 6’ 6” and 212-pound frame at 18 years old.
Related: Islanders Use Draft Picks To Bolster Prospect Pool; Now What?
If Lennox isn’t going to be the answer in a few years — injury-wise or just lack of development — one of these two, or Tikkanen, could be the future NHL backup to Sorokin and potentially take over as the No. 1 when the time is right.
You can never have too many goaltenders, and although it’s a tough position to gauge, especially European ones, the more you have, the higher the chance one of them lives up to the hype.
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