Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin practices, could be ready to play by the start of the regular season
Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders makes a save during the second period against Chicago at UBS Arena on April 2. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Having Ilya Sorokin available either by the start of the regular season or soon after that suddenly seems more plausible for the Islanders.
The franchise goalie, who underwent offseason back surgery, participated in his first team practice of training camp on Thursday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, a day after being seen by the media for the first time taking shots on his own.
“I feel really good,” said Sorokin, entering the first season of an eight-year, $66 million extension. “Great job by the staff the last two months so I feel good mentally and physically.”
But good enough to play?
“I do everything to be ready,” Sorokin said. “[If] the head coach says go play on opening night, it’s his business. My business is to do all the things with my body and my head.”
The Islanders open their regular season next Thursday against Utah at UBS Arena. They conclude their six-game preseason schedule hosting the Rangers on Friday night.
Coach Patrick Roy would not set a timeline or comment when asked whether Sorokin could play in the preseason, either against the Rangers or for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
“We’re just going to go day by day,” Roy said. “We don’t know what tomorrow will be. So I’d rather keep it day by day and we’ll see how he is. We’re going to give him his time, no doubt about it.”
Regardless of when Sorokin is ready, there’s no debating his importance to the Islanders’ chances for success this season.
Two seasons ago, Sorokin finished second in Vezina Trophy balloting as the NHL’s top goalie as he went 31-22-7 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Last season, Sorokin slumped to 25-19-12 with a 2.99 GAA and a .909 save percentage as Semyon Varlamov supplanted him as the No. 1 goalie during the playoff push. Varlamov also started four of the Islanders’ five postseason games.
But Sorokin said having his offseason procedure – the first time he’d needed surgery – was not frustrating even though it delayed his preparation.
As always, he just wants to be a better goalie.
“Everybody wants to be better,” Sorokin said. “If we do not want to be better, we can’t be professional players. The past season is in the past. I just try to focus on small details.”
Notes & quotes: Right wing Kyle Palmieri missed practice for maintenance . . . Right wing Hudson Fasching returned to practice after dealing with a lower-body issue . . . Roy indicated Grant Hutton and Dennis Cholowski were both having better training camps than Samuel Bolduc, the second-round pick in 2019 who had two goals and three assists in 34 games for the Islanders last season, as they compete to be the seventh defenseman. “He’s got great potential,” Roy said. “But what I prefer so far more from Cholowski and Hutton is the consistency they bring . . . ” The pond rink at The Park at UBS Arena will re-open for public skating prior to Friday’s preseason game. It will be available to fans prior to games through February.
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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