Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov gives Islanders quality, quantity in goal
Islanders goaltenders Semyon Varlamov, left, and Ilya Sorokin hug following a preseason game against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 6, 2022. Credit: AP/Julia Nikhinson
Monday marks the NHL’s deadline for the initial 23-man roster and there is still some intrigue as to who will earn the final spots up front and on defense for the Islanders. But the only uncertainty about the goalie tandem of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov is how they will be deployed.
Both finished strong in the Islanders’ 4-2-0 preseason. Sorokin, the presumed No. 1 and starter for Thursday night’s regular-season opener against the Panthers at UBS Arena, made 28 saves in Saturday night’s 3-1 win over the visiting Rangers. Varlamov stopped 25 shots in this past Thursday’s 5-2 win over the visiting Devils.
“We’re going to talk about that in the next few days, it’s a good question,” coach Lane Lambert said when asked which netminder would receive the bulk of the playing time. “They’re both quality and they can both play well. We’re comfortable with both of them.”
Sorokin, 27, in the second season of a three-year, $12 million deal, went 26-18-8 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage last season.
“I feel good,” Sorokin said after Saturday’s win. “I did the same work that I did the first game [a 30-save performance in a 4-3 overtime win in Philadelphia this past Tuesday]. I believe in my system. This was a good game. It was like a regular-season game.”
Varlamov, 34, entering the final season of a four-year, $20 million deal, went 10-17-2 with a 2.91 GAA and .911 save percentage after missing last preseason and the start of last season while recovering from a knee issue. He backstopped the Islanders to back-to-back appearances in the NHL semifinals in his first two seasons with the team.
It’s likely the two will split the season’s first two games, with the Ducks at UBS Arena two days after the Panthers' visit, and both get work in the early portion of the season. The Islanders start a stretch of four games in six days on Oct. 18 against the Sharks at UBS Arena.
As to the roster battles, Kieffer Bellows appears to have earned a spot among the top 12 forwards over Oliver Wahlstrom, Ross Johnston and Nikita Soshnikov. Otto Koivula was placed on waivers on Sunday and will be re-assigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport if he clears. The question is whether Cal Clutterbuck will start the season on injured reserve.
On defense, Robin Salo seemingly has a spot among the top six and Sebastian Aho has beaten out Grant Hutton and Paul LaDue for the seventh spot. Those two were also placed on waivers on Sunday for reassignment to Bridgeport. The question is whether Scott Mayfield will be available for Thursday’s opener.
Notes & quotes: The NHL fined defenseman Alexander Romanov the maximum $5,000 for his third-period charging minor against the Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck on Saturday. Romanov, 22, was acquired from the Canadiens for the 13th overall pick in this summer’s draft to bring both his physicality and skating ability into the Islanders’ lineup. “We know he has that physical element to him,” Lambert said. “We love that physical element about him." . . . The Islanders did not practice on Sunday.
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.
