In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, he dropped a bit of a bombshell on New York Islanders fans. He states he has “heard that [Ilya] Sorokin has been battling something,” referring to a potential offseason injury that could become an issue for the team early on. At this point in the offseason, it is a bit strange to be hearing of the news only now, but what could it mean?
Breaking Down the Report
Friedman’s comments were amid a segment on the Islanders. He begins the conversation with co-host Kyle Bukauskas by discussing what Patrick Roy’s first full season with the Islanders could look like. They discuss how the Islanders got a “jolt” in the half-season stint from the Hall of Famer last season, but now with a full training camp and preseason, he is curious as to what else he can bring.
Friedman also describes Anthony Duclair as “exactly the guy” the Islanders need with his energy and speed, and it is hard to disagree. Duclair brings speed that the forward core generally lacks, and adding such a unique and versatile skillset with a 30+ goal upside will transform this offense.
After a brief stint discussing Brock Nelson’s looming contract situation, Friedman cuts to the Sorokin speculation. He discusses how Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders are very private, and his information is not coming from the team or Sorokin’s agent, but it is still enough to warrant discussion. He does not believe it is necessarily “serious,” meaning it could be nothing, but we are unlikely to get any confirmation from the team, at least until the season begins.
Related: Revisiting John Tavares’ 9 Seasons with the Islanders
When Friedman comments on a matter, especially for a team as tight-lipped as the Islanders, there is likely some truth behind it. And for the Sorokin report, it is hard to see why this would be an exception. Before Roy’s hiring in January, Sorokin was the most worked goaltender in the NHL. Under former head coach Lane Lambert, Sorokin faced more shots per game than any goaltender in the NHL, including eight games where he faced 40 or more shots. Under Roy, that number dropped to four, with one of them being in his first game as head coach.
Sorokin finished last season in a cold stretch, going 3-5-1 with a .904 save percentage, 3.13 goals against average, and -0.18 goals saved above expected in his final nine regular season games. He lost his starting spot to Semyon Varlamov in the playoffs and gave up three goals on 14 shots during his one appearance. He was pulled from the game in the second period.
Sorokin was clearly tired by the end of last season, with many of his goals given up stemming from mental errors and fatigue, rather than ability. This is not to blame him, as the horrific coaching and defensive injuries led to his intense workload. While he never spent time on the injured reserve, it would be understandable for him to have been secretly battling an injury that lingered through the offseason.
What Now for the Islanders?
Assuming the report is true, what is next for the Islanders? The first, and most likely scenario, is there is not much to the report. Every NHL player, especially those on playoff teams, battles injuries throughout the season. Sorokin got a lot of rest this offseason and is likely to be eased into the starter’s net for the Islanders’ regular-season opener against the Utah Hockey Club on Oct. 10. Whether or not there is merit to this report, he is likely to see minimal time during the preseason, maybe just a few 30-minute appearances throughout the six-game preseason, so fans should not panic if he takes a bit longer to take the crease than other goaltenders.
If Sorokin’s injury is more serious than Friedman currently believes, Marcus Hogberg would be the goaltender called up. Varlamov would have no time to handle the starter’s duties to begin the season, and Hogberg could be a serviceable backup. He went 21-8 with Linkopings HC of the Swedish Hockey League last season and is a veteran of 42 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators. The Islanders’ first back-to-back is Oct. 25-26, so Hogberg would likely only see game action if Varlamov got pulled from a game early or Sorokin could not return by then.
With such a credible media insider reporting this news, it is understandable for Islanders fans to panic. However, that should not be the case. Sorokin has barely missed time in his hockey career, and the fact the Islanders played him in the playoffs proves any potential injury was never that serious. Unless a new injury arose this offseason, Islanders fans should rest assured Sorokin will be in the starter’s net on Oct. 10.
