Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin suffered injury in summer, not expected to impact start of season

When speaking to the media on Friday, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello revealed that goaltender Ilya Sorokin suffered an injury while training this offseason. Lamoriello admitted that there is a chance Sorokin might miss the first couple of days in training camp, but doesn’t believe the ailment will carry to the start of the regular season.

Lamoriello didn’t announce what Sorokin injured this summer.

Sorokin has emerged as one of the best young netminders in the NHL, pairing nicely with another talented Russian backstop across the Hudson River, Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. He has played the majority of the games over the last three seasons on Long Island, though he was platooned a little bit more with Semyon Varlamov under head Patrick Roy last season.

In 2023-24, Sorokin posted a 25-19-12 record with a 3.01 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. The 29-year-old also posted two shutouts. His numbers were a little down from his career-best run during the 2022-23 campaign, where Sorokin went 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA, a .924 SV% and six shutouts.

This past spring, Sorokin made just one start during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Metropolitan Division Semifinals. The Canes would sweep the Isles, with Varlamov playing in three of the four contests.

This coming season is important for Sorokin and the Islanders. The 2024-25 campaign is the first of an eight-year contract that he signed on July 1, 2023. Under it, he will be paid $8.25 million through the 2031-32 season. With him and Varlamov still working as a tandem, the Isles have one of the better duos in the league, giving the team a good chance to make it back to the postseason.

Across four seasons in the NHL, Sorokin has made 192 appearances, registering a record of 95-65-30 with a 2.54 GAA, a .919 SV% and 18 shutouts. In 14 playoff games, he is 6-6 with a 2.83 GAA and a .921 SV%.