Ilya Sorokin Number 31: One of the Best Goaltenders in the National Hockey League
Ilya Sorokin is arguably the best player on the New York Islanders. Last season, the team had at least one defensive lapse per game, and Sorokin had to save several high-danger chances. In fact, he ranked third in the league in high-danger saves behind Logan Thompson and Jeremy Swayman. Ilya Sorokin saved his team on several occasions last season.
However, he is now 31 years old, and he has worn down over the last two seasons because he was forced to play so much. It will be important, maybe vital, for the Islanders to protect their best player. The team signed Vítek Vaněček in the offseason, and Semyon Varlamov seems healthy. If they can both play about 20 games, that would limit the demand on Sorokin. Do you think the Islanders will be able to limit Sorokin’s workload?
Ilya Sorokin Statistics and Importance to the Team
A strong argument could be made that Ilya Sorokin is the best player on the New York Islanders. His statistics are very good. He was recently ranked by the National Hockey League as the fourth-best goaltender in the league. However, he wore himself down so much last season that he cost himself the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender (he finished second in the voting).
As far as statistics go, Ilya Sorokin was 29-24-2 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average. He had seven shutouts, which led the league. However, the statistics don’t do his effort last year justice. Sorokin made several acrobatic, amazing saves. In fact, what he accomplished in the crease had the broadcasters tongue-tied.
Ilya Sorokin is the best player on the Islanders. They need to protect him. To do that, they need to play better on the defensive end, and they need to limit the high-danger chances he faces. New head coach Peter DeBoer was brought in to improve the team’s structure.
He is known as a defensive-minded coach, but he had only four games at the end of last season to prove his worth. Greater defensive structure should limit the high-danger chances Sorokin faces. The Islanders would also benefit from limiting his workload. They might be in position to do exactly that.
How to Limit the Workload of Sorokin
In the offseason, the Islanders signed goaltender Vítek Vaněček to a free-agent contract. He is not as good as Sorokin, but he is a serviceable NHL goaltender. Also, Semyon Varlamov had both of his knees replaced. He started two games for the Bridgeport Islanders, the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate (now in Hamilton, Ontario). He played well and seems to be back.
The 37-year-old is a fan favorite and can expect robust cheers from the partisan crowd every time he starts next season. He is also a highly capable backup to Sorokin. The team needs both Vanejack and Varlamov to play about twenty games each in the coming season. If they do so, in the new 84-game schedule in the NHL, that would mean Sorokin would start only 44 games, much less than the 54 games he started last season. That would prevent him from wearing down, as he has in the last two seasons.
Conclusion
Ilya Sorokin is one of the best players in the National Hockey League. The key for him will be whether the Islanders will keep him fresh. He has a history of wearing down over the last two seasons. His ‘end-of-season swoon’ probably cost him the Vezina Trophy last season. The Islanders need to get about twenty starts from Vanejack and Varlamov, so watch that. It will be a big indicator for this team.
