On Thursday, the NHL Network released its top five goaltenders currently in the NHL.
Which may come as a shock to some, New York Islanders goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin came in 5th place:
Here is the full top 10 list:
The 29-year-old, who is entering the first of an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $8.25 million, has had a rough 2023-24 campaign.
Behind one of the league’s weakest defenses and penalty kills, Sorokin struggled to play to his ceiling, setting career-worst records with a GAA of 3.01 and an SV% of .908.
Related: Islanders Pulled Sorokin, Changes Momentum After Carolina Hurricanes Score Third Goal
This came a year after being a Vezina finalist, where he displayed a 2.34 GAA, .924 SV% and a league-leading six shutouts.
By the way, he was ranked 3rd in 2023-24.
Sorokin ended up losing the starting job to Semyon Varlamov down the stretch as the Islanders fought for a playoff spot.
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He got a playoff game but was pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots early in Game 3.
But behind what should be a better defense, a deeper lineup and a more responsible group under Patrick Roy, Sorokin should have every chance to show that last season was just a one-off.
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Related: Islanders Sorokin talks Vezina, workload and ultimate goal
