Ilya Sorokin is the backbone of this New York Islanders team.
After a disappointing 2023-24 season (25-19-12, 3.01 GAA, .908 SV%), the 29-year-old Russian goaltender will have to bounce back if the team is going to find a way to be consistent during the regular season.
Related: Islanders Ilya Sorokin Ready To Put Tough Season Behind Him: ‘When You Don’t Win, You Learn’
The Islanders, who are cap-strapped, didn’t have much room to add improvements, signing two forwards in Anthony Duclair (4 years, $3.5M AAV) and Maxim Tsyplakov (1-year ELC, $950k), while running back the same starting defense corps, with Mike Reilly back on a one-year deal, worth $1.25 million.
But, per Islanders fans, those moves weren’t enough to move the needle.
People may forget that a rested and rejuvenated Sorokin can be an in-house addition.
In the 2022-23 season, Sorokin was the runner-up for the Vezina trophy, sporting a 2.34 GAA with a .924 SV%, tied for the league lead with six shutouts.
You can argue that he singlehandedly willed the Islanders to the postseason, where they lost in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Related: Rosner: Why I Gave Islanders Sorokin a 2nd Place Hart Vote
But then came the 2023-24 season, where he struggled when facing the most shots in the league but failed to bounce back once facing fewer shots under Patrick Roy.
In the last two years, Sorokin has faced nothing but high shot volumes and lackluster defensive structure. Last season, it finally caught up to him.
Sorokin appeared in 56 games last regular season, with most starts coming earlier in the year. So, overall, there were fewer games, but the schedule was more condensed.
Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Semyon Varlamov was injured in January, and Sorokin was forced to start every game during that span. Previous head coach Lane Lambert did not opt to start Ken Appleby.
Sorokin appeared in 11 straight games, including both games of a back-to-back.
In case one of the two Islanders’ netminders is injured in 2024-25, the team signed Marcus Hogberg to a two-year contract. He will play in Bridgeport but is a more trusted third option behind Sorokin and Varlamov, if needed, over someone like Jakub Skarek.
The Islanders are in a good position with two strong goaltenders, but Sorokin has to be the clear-cut starter. A large part of goaltending is mental, and after those struggles, you have to think Sorokin got in his own head.
He still managed to keep the Islanders in games, making a tremendous number of saves despite facing a ton of shots. The workload then tired Sorokin, as he gave up weaker goals:
But when it came down to the playoffs, Varlamov earned the starts and played solid, with Sorokin getting pulled in his only appearance, Game 3, after allowing three goals on 14 shots with New York down 2-0 in the series.
The Islanders lost that game, with Varlamov allowing no goals in relief.
Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Having the summer to reflect, learn, and work with Sergei Naumovs, his KHL goalie coach, who will be Bridgeport’s goalie coach in 2024-25, should do a world of good.
Under Roy, the Islanders looked stronger and more defensively sound, which should lessen the burden on Sorokin.
Plus, having a Hall of Fame and Stanley Cup champion goaltender as head coach should certainly help.
The team has retained mostly the same defensive core, with the only change being the loss of Sebastian Aho. The Swedish defenseman signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month.
The team, and more specifically, the defense, looked much better when playing a more aggressive style under Roy.
A full training camp will help even more.
If the Islanders are to succeed this season, Sorokin needs to return to form. Remember, his cap hit is moving up to $8.5 million this season, raising expectations as he begins the first season of an eight-year deal.
Some may have forgotten how elite Sorokin can be.
An off-season reset can get him right back on track. If the Islanders can tighten up and allow Sorokin to focus on one thing — “stop puck” — the Islanders will be playing playoff hockey for a third straight season.
TOP STORIES
Related: Islanders Ilya Sorokin Ready To Put Tough Season Behind Him: ‘When You Don’t Win, You Learn’
Related: Looking Back At Islanders Legend Mike Bossy’s First Career NHL Goal
Related: The Friendship Between Islanders Ilya Sorokin & Alexander Romanov
