Ilya Sorokin injury: Islanders receive probable return time for star goaltender

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Sep 20, 2024 11:35 GMT

New York Islanders starting netminder Ilya Sorokin could miss the start of training camp, per NHL.com.

Rumors surfaced regarding an injury to the former Vezina Trophy nominee after insider Elliotte Friedman said he believed Sorokin was “battling something.” From there, the rumor mill went into overdrive with speculation regarding the nature of Sorokin’s ailments.

NHL.com reported earlier comments by Islanders manager Lou Lamoriello. He said that Sorokin was dealing with an upper-body injury, but the injury was not a significant concern for the team.

“Will he miss the first day (of training camp), the first couple of days? Maybe, but I’m going to leave that up to the training staff,” Lamoriello added.

Lamoriello’s comments did little to clarify the injury’s specific nature. However, the remarks attempted to downplay the injury’s overall severity.

While there is still a chance that Sorokin could hit the ice in time for the opening of training camp, the likeliest scenario is that the team misses Sorokin for a brief period.

In Sorokin’s absence, the starting goaltending job will likely fall to veteran backup Semyon Varlamov. Varlamov filled in for Sorokin at various points last season, playing well. Varlamov started 27 games, posting a respectable 2.60 goals against average and a .918 save percentage.

Meanwhile, Sorokin had a down year, posting a 3.01 GAA and a .909 SV%. Sorokin started 55 games but managed a 25-19-12 record.

Patrick Roy confirms Ilya Sorokin had offseason back surgery

Islanders coach Patrick Roy inadvertently confirmed to the media that Sorokin had undergone offseason back surgery.

NHL.com quoted Roy saying:

“So, the surgery that he had for his back, it's not the perfect thing, but I think he'll be fine. And I do believe that we have such a good medical staff that'll take care of him. They'll make sure that when he's ready, he'll help us.”

The Islanders’ official position was to keep details of Sorokin’s injury under wraps for as long as possible. However, Roy’s admission confirms that the injury was much more serious than anticipated.

While it remains unclear what sort of surgery Sorokin had, it was significant enough to keep him rehabbing the entire summer. Unfortunately for the Isles, Sorokin may not hit the ice in time for training camp.

But that prospect doesn’t worry Roy. Roy expressed his confidence in Varlamov, saying:

"I'm not concerned because we have two very good goaltenders."

Indeed, Varlamov is capable of holding the fort until Sorokin returns. That situation bodes well as the club will be very careful with Ilya Sorokin’s recovery, ensuring he’s fully healthy upon his return to the ice.