Islanders' Ilya Sorokin had offseason back surgery, Patrick Roy says
Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders skates to the bench during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the playoffs last April at UBS Arena. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Patrick Roy understands the urgency Ilya Sorokin feels to play better this season. The Islanders’ coach just isn’t sure when he’ll have his franchise goalie available after revealing on Monday that Sorokin had offseason back surgery.
“The surgery that he had for his back, it’s not the perfect thing,” Roy said at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury during the Islanders’ annual charity golf outing. “But I think he’ll be fine. We have such a good medical staff, they’ll take care of him. They’ll make sure that when he’s ready, he’ll help us.”
Islanders president/general manager Lou Lamoriello said last week that Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury during the offseason and added that it was uncertain whether he would be ready when training camp opens on Thursday. The season begins on Oct. 10 against Utah at UBS Arena, and Lamoriello said he had no current concerns that Sorokin might not be available by then.
Sorokin, entering the first season of an eight-year, $66 million extension, went 25-19-12 with an elevated 2.99 goals-against average and a subpar .909 save percentage last season. Semyon Varlamov started four of the Islanders’ five playoff games and Sorokin was pulled from his lone start in Game 3 against the Hurricanes after allowing three goals on 14 shots.
“On the exit meeting with Ilya, he knows what he has to do,” Roy said. “He knows that I’m with him. He knows that I’m trusting him. And he knows that he’s going to be an important player on our team.”
This camp will be the Islanders’ first under Roy after he took over for the fired Lane Lambert on Jan. 20. He guided the Islanders to an 8-0-1 finish in the regular season to secure third place in the Metropolitan Division before the club was eliminated by Carolina in the first round for the second straight year.
“I liked the way we finished,” Roy said. “This is a good way to see a bit what our team is capable of. I was pleased with the way we played even against Carolina. I know we won only one game but I thought we deserved better. I think we could continue to grow and continue to be better as a group. The start of our training camp is going to be very important to set that tone.”
As such, the players are anticipating intense practices.
Roy is not on the ice for rookie camp but played a large role in structuring the practices. The drills have concentrated on one-on-one battles and physical play.
The Islanders will begin their six-game preseason schedule against the Devils on Sunday night at Prudential Center.
“I think we got a great indication on just what Patty expects from each guy and the team,” Mathew Barzal said. “Having a full camp and a full season with Patty is going to be great. He really understands the game and I think he really understands the way the game is going. Having a little more time within that system is going to help us.”
The Islanders underwent very little change in the offseason, bringing in free-agent forwards Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov, with longtime fourth-liner Cal Clutterbuck leading the departures.
Duclair, who signed a four-year, $14 million deal and might skate with Barzal and center Bo Horvat on the top line, also had Roy as his coach in his first two seasons of junior hockey with the Quebec Remparts.
“We always kept a great relationship,” Duclair said. “I remember when I was 15, I told the teams in the Q [Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League] that I was going to go to college, and Pat still decided to draft me. It’s tough to say no to Patrick Roy as a 15-year-old kid. He definitely helped me evolve as a person and as a player.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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