Player Discussion: Ilya Sorokin

[MJF]

That's a long hot streak going back to the Pittsburg series, I think the plan was to have him eased in last year, and eventually ascend to the #1A role this season or at latest next. I understand what you are saying here, let's not count our chicken before they hatch. But there is also nothing wrong with expecting Sorokin to live up his pedigree since he was drafted by the Isles. If he is not trending in becoming a #1 Goalie in this league, I think most will be disappointed.

But it's not a hot streak if it was broken up by 2 poor performances in the first 2 games of the season, is it? Sorokin certainly has been locked in since then however.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

But it's not a hot streak if it was broken up by 2 poor performances in the first 2 games of the season, is it? Sorokin certainly has been locked in since then however.

Those first 2 games, I am not sure what happened? Including the last preseason game, that was 3 clunkers in a row to start the season. Things seem to be normalizing of late though. We have to have some sunshine on a Monday morning. lol Grumpy Monday.

 

[MJF]

Those first 2 games, I am not sure what happened? Including the last preseason game, that was 3 clunkers in a row to start the season. Things seem to be normalizing of late though. We have to have some sunshine on a Monday morning. lol Grumpy Monday.

IMO, Sorokin didn't get a lot of work in the pre-season. Even in some of the early pre-season games he started he'd only see maybe 8 shots. That seemed to have worked itself out now.

 

[JKP]

To me, he's the Isles #1 Goalie. He has earned it. We know Isles will run with 1A and 1B, Sorokin is 1A. Past the first 2 games of the season, He's been lights out this season.

Honestly, who cares which one is #1. I'm just happy we have both of them. I expect Varly will be back to form after shaking off the rust and be just as good as Ilya.

Trying to decide which one is better is a really high quality problem that is at the bottom of my list of worries about this team.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Honestly, who cares which one is #1. I'm just happy we have both of them. I expect Varly will be back to form after shaking off the rust and be just as good as Ilya.

Trying to decide which one is better is a really high quality problem that is at the bottom of my list of worries about this team.

Looking down the road, it is a legitimate question. Do the Isles spend 5M of capspace on a #2G? I know the Isles run with 1A and 1B, but I would say it is something that I am sure Lou has built into Varly's contract. The MTC 16 team list that Varly can submit. It wouldn't surprise me if the Isles may move him after this season. Varly is still good, and we can afford his 5M this season. No need to move him now. But off season? Maybe Isles get a cheaper 1B. Here is a tidbit I noticed, and not to toot my horn but I did say Chara was an option in the offseason for the Isles and they did sign him. But Holtby is a UFA this summer, his current hit is 2M. What if the Isles went after him? The Korn and Trotz angle is just so strong that I think it is highly possible. He would be a goalie with proven success with Trotz winning a cup and would shave off money off a tight cap giving the Isles still a strong 1-2 punch in Goal.

 

[mm11]

Looking down the road, it is a legitimate question. Do the Isles spend 5M of capspace on a #2G? I know the Isles run with 1A and 1B, but I would say it is something that I am sure Lou has built into Varly's contract. The MTC 16 team list that Varly can submit. It wouldn't surprise me if the Isles may move him after this season. Maybe get a cheaper 1B. Here is a tidbit I noticed, and not to toot my horn but I did say Chara was an option in the offseason for the Isles and they did sign him. But Holtby is a UFA this summer, his current hit is 2M. What if the Isles went after him? The Korn and Trotz angle is just so strong that I think it is highly possible. He would be a goalie with proven success with Trotz winning a cup and would shave off money off a tight cap giving the Isles still a strong 1-2 punch in Goal.

I do wonder if Soroking can handle a season workload and unloading his comrade may hurt his morale. What do I know? Trotz Korn and Co know what they are doing though. It could be worse than a Holtby backup

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I do wonder if Soroking can handle a season workload and unloading his comrade may hurt his morale. What do I know? Trotz Korn and Co know what they are doing though. It could be worse than a Holtby backup

I am content to go Sorokin and Varly the rest of the year. Varly has been overall good enough for us to play the Greiss role this season. Isles will split Goalies as they always do. If the playoffs began tomorrow, and we were in the playoffs, Sorokin would get the start likely. I do think, there was a reason why Lou only gave the first 2 years of Varly's contract a full NT. Right now the MNTC has clicked in leaving Lou an out. Would Holtby be an option if this were the case. I can see no reason why he wouldn't given I am sure he would love to play for Trotz again, and work with Korn the Goalie whisperer that he had his most success with.

 

[JKP]

Looking down the road, it is a legitimate question. Do the Isles spend 5M of capspace on a #2G? I know the Isles run with 1A and 1B, but I would say it is something that I am sure Lou has built into Varly's contract. The MTC 16 team list that Varly can submit. It wouldn't surprise me if the Isles may move him after this season. Varly is still good, and we can afford his 5M this season. No need to move him now. But off season? Maybe Isles get a cheaper 1B. Here is a tidbit I noticed, and not to toot my horn but I did say Chara was an option in the offseason for the Isles and they did sign him. But Holtby is a UFA this summer, his current hit is 2M. What if the Isles went after him? The Korn and Trotz angle is just so strong that I think it is highly possible. He would be a goalie with proven success with Trotz winning a cup and would shave off money off a tight cap giving the Isles still a strong 1-2 punch in Goal.

Everywhere Lou has ever been he builds from the net out. Varly is proven, Ilya is still proving. They are both excellent. I think Varly plays out his contract here. When you saw how many goalies moved this offseason, I think this mgmt group likes predictability and likes what they have.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Everywhere Lou has ever been he builds from the net out. Varly is proven, Ilya is still proving. They are both excellent. I think Varly plays out his contract here. When you saw how many goalies moved this offseason, I think this mgmt group likes predictability and likes what they have.

Maybe you are right, but we don't know really. A lot depends on how this team plays in the playoffs. We all know we are a Hampus Lindholm away from being that much better. So again, the question I posed is a valid one. If you can save 2-3M from the goaltending position, and allocate that to another player without losing too much quality in goal, I don't think anyone can categorically say Holtby would be far worse, given he has already been very successful under Trotz. Then all options should be open. That's why you leave things up to a 2 time winning GM of the year. I don't like just saying or thinking there is only one way to go in this. Good teams adapt to what is available to them to make the team ultimately better. That's all that should matter.

 

[JKP]

Maybe you are right, but we don't know really. A lot depends on how this team plays in the playoffs. We all know we are a Hampus Lindholm away from being that much better. So again, the question I posed is a valid one. If you can save 2-3M from the goaltending position, and allocate that to another player without losing too much quality in goal, I don't think anyone can categorically say Holtby would be far worse, given he has already been very successful under Trotz. Then all options should be open. That's why you leave things up to a 2 time winning GM of the year. I don't like just saying or thinking there is only one way to go in this. Good teams adapt to what is available to them to make the team ultimately better. That's all that should matter.

I don't necessarily disagree with your premise at all, although I don't think Holtby would be the answer. I'm just saying that based on Lou's MO, I think he keeps Varly through his contract. Obviously we don't really know what will happen since it's tough to make predictions – especially about the future.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

A lot can change in 8 months. Let's worry about the offseason in the offseason.

 

[mm11]

Winter Soldier is thinking ahead. Always great to have guys scouting out there looking for potential ways to improve. It's risky to move Varly which I have to think Lou is chewing on. Glad I don't have to make the call. I just get to watch a competitive team that the Isles brass assembled. Been a loooong time coming

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I don't necessarily disagree with your premise at all, although I don't think Holtby would be the answer. I'm just saying that based on Lou's MO, I think he keeps Varly through his contract. Obviously we don't really know what will happen since it's tough to make predictions – especially about the future.

I still liked your post, even if I do not agree with the Holtby would not be the answer here. I think most decent NHL goalies will look good in the Islander system. As for Varly finishing his contract here, it can happen. Not disputing this. But also it would be faulty to not atleast recognize Lou was smart enough to only offer a MNTC in the final 2 years to give him some wiggle room should he need the capspace for later. And I agree, we don't know if he will next summer. A lot can happen as you say, maybe Sorokin falls on his face after a hot start. I don't believe so, but it's possible.

 

[Throttle]

A lot can change in 8 months. Let's worry about the offseason in the offseason.

But the cap. It’s right there. Can’t you see it? Like, right there. Everyday, showing me cap space…

 

[Throttle]

Winter Soldier is thinking ahead. Always great to have guys scouting out there looking for potential ways to improve. It's risky to move Varly which I have to think Lou is chewing on. Glad I don't have to make the call. I just get to watch a competitive team that the Isles brass assembled. Been a loooong time coming

There’s no need for Varly to go anywhere so long as he keeps his play up to par. He may even re-up with the Isles at a lesser rate with the understanding that he’s now shifting to 1B or backup status. If he wants to be the sole starter, well, based on Sorokin’s trajectory that’s unlikely on Li.

 

[Beacon Isles]

Not to take anything away from Lou, but according to CapFriendly, there's at least a dozen goalies on standard contracts making decent coin (between $2.25M and $7M a year) with M-NTCs, and two more with NTCs. The two with NTCs are Bennington and Grubauer, who will convert to M-NTCs in the last couple years of their contracts. Most of the current M-NTCs are guys in their late 20s/early 30s on the back end of their contracts, where you would want the flexibility to potentially move them towards the end of their contracts. Then theres a few more with NMCs, which will also convert to M-NTCs towards the back end. So what Lou did with Varly's deal isnt particularly ground-breaking, and I would argue, is fairly standard?

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

The Varly-Sorokin duo is more than just a solid 1-2 punch. Ever play the same position on a team as a friend? There is a constant, healthy, competition that drives each other to play better and get the starts. Then, when one is rolling, who do you think is the biggest cheerleader on the team?

Unlike a heated competition, there isn't animosity when one isn't starting. Let's keep a good thing going here.

 

[Throttle]

Not to take anything away from Lou, but according to CapFriendly, there's at least a dozen goalies on standard contracts making decent coin (between $2.25M and $7M a year) with M-NTCs, and two more with NTCs. The two with NTCs are Bennington and Grubauer, who will convert to M-NTCs in the last couple years of their contracts. Most of the current M-NTCs are guys in their late 20s/early 30s on the back end of their contracts, where you would want the flexibility to potentially move them towards the end of their contracts. Then theres a few more with NMCs, which will also convert to M-NTCs towards the back end. So what Lou did with Varly's deal isnt particularly ground-breaking, and I would argue, is fairly standard?

Goalies don't have a lot of trade value. I'm not in the camp of moving on from Varly now or next year, no matter what Sorokin does. The Isles are in WIN mode. Settling for a lesser backup is bad idea. The Isles have a great thing in net. You can patch holes on F and D, but patching a hole on G is super hard and can/will undermine their chance at a Cup.

 

[Beacon Isles]

Goalies don't have a lot of trade value. I'm not in the camp of moving on from Varly now or next year, no matter what Sorokin does. The Isles are in WIN mode. Settling for a lesser backup is bad idea. The Isles have a great thing in net. You can patch holes on F and D, but patching a hole on G is super hard and can/will undermine their chance at a Cup.

I agree, I wouldn't be looking to move him either. I'm just pointing out that Lou didn't work some Jedi magic here, and that most goalies in their late 20s/early 30s get a pretty standard contract structure... a couple of years of NTC/NMC, and a couple of years of a M-NTC in case they age poorly and can be moved. When they do get moved, its often a salary dump with not much return.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

Hello !

I picked Varly in my hockey pool.

Sorokin is available.

should I (use one of my ten moves to) swap Varly for Sorokin?

 

[Beacon Isles]

Hello !

I picked Varly in my hockey pool.

Sorokin is available.

should I (use one of my ten moves to) swap Varly for Sorokin?

My guess, now that Varly is healthy and there's ~70 games left in the season, we'll see a fairly close split down the middle. They have a decent number of B2B games this year as well I believe.

 

[scott99]

My guess, now that Varly is healthy and there's ~70 games left in the season, we'll see a fairly close split down the middle. They have a decent number of B2B games this year as well I believe.

I agree. And whoever is playing better come playoffs, will start then. We need to be happy, we have the best goalie duo in the NHL.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

I agree. And whoever is playing better come playoffs, will start then. We need to be happy, we have the best goalie duo in the NHL.

My guess, now that Varly is healthy and there's ~70 games left in the season, we'll see a fairly close split down the middle. They have a decent number of B2B games this year as well I believe.

thanks… (I’ll have to do some math against a full #1 on a crappier team)

Isles have a well built team though. Two solid goalies is nice insurance as well

 

[TMI]

thanks… (I’ll have to do some math against a full #1 on a crappier team)

Isles have a well built team though. Two solid goalies is nice insurance as well

Yeah, you're in a tough position.. these are literally 1A and 1B goalies.. they will very likely split games the rest of the way, barring unforeseen circumstances. Short term, my guess would be Sorokin 2 of the next 3..

 

[SI90]