The New York Islanders waited a long time to find their franchise goalie, and it was worth the wait. Ilya Sorokin, often referred to as the “White Whale,” had a Vezina-caliber season. The Russian netminder has already established himself as one of the best goalies in the league and continues to improve. He was ranked in the top five in every major goalie category this season and is the sole reason the Islanders were in the playoff mix.
After years of success in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), including being selected to five straight KHL All-Star games, Sorokin has fully transitioned into a dominant NHL goalie. There is a big decision coming for Islanders general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello because Sorokin only has one year left on his contract and is due for a big raise. On July 1, the Islanders can officially sign Sorokin to an extension, and Lamoriello will work right away to do so. “We’ll certainly work at it,” Lou asserted, “and at whatever time — and effort — it takes,” (from ‘Sorokin Likely to Play Waiting Game as Islanders GM Lamoriello Ponders Price Tag’, The Hockey News, 6/7/23).
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The Islanders have not had a long list of elite goaltenders in their history, and Sorokin is quickly climbing the ladder. The 27-year-old has 16 shutouts in only 136 career starts, meaning 12% of his starts result in a shutout. It’s a mind-blowing stat considering Sorokin has only been in the league for three seasons and is on a team that has regressed defensively this season. Not only should Sorokin be considered for the Vezina Trophy, but the Hart Trophy as well. You could make the case this year that, if not for Connor McDavid, there is not another player more valuable to their team than Sorokin. This will be a huge factor in the contract negotiations for Sorokin. Based on his stats and importance to the organization, he will be one of the highest-paid goalies in the league.
Sorokin’s Contract Value
Based on the remarkable season Sorokin had, you can bet his average annual value (AAV) will be near the top of the league for netminders. Right now, Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, who just led his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, has an AAV of $10 million. After that comes two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, at $9.5 million, and then there is a bit of a drop-off. You can make the case that Sorokin belongs in that same category. His fellow countrymate and friend, Igor Shesterkin, has a bargain deal with the New York Rangers with only a $5.6 million cap hit for the next two seasons. Sorokin is guaranteed to get a larger contract because of the increase in the salary cap since then.
You can bet right now Sorokin will be somewhere in the $8-$9 million AAV range if he signs a long-term extension. He deserves to be paid in the upper echelon of goalies based on his stats. He had a Vezina-worthy season and is only getting better. There is an argument that he was the only reason the Islanders were anywhere near the playoffs in the 2022-23 season. For a team that is limited offensively, Sorokin gives them a chance to win every night. He is going to set the market for free-agent goaltenders moving forward.
Will the Islanders Commit to Extension?
The Islanders can officially sign Sorokin to an extension on July 1. It’s a tough decision for the Islanders to make this commitment because of the trend the NHL is heading towards. You look at this year’s Stanley Cup winner, the Vegas Golden Knights, and they won with Adin Hill, who was only making $2.175 million. Some may argue that a top goaltender isn’t necessary anymore, but when you look a the Islanders’ style of play, they rely heavily on their goaltending. The way Lamoriello has built this team is through strong goaltending, top defensive play, and scoring timely goals. They have no choice but to commit to a franchise goalie like Sorokin if they want to contend.
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Also, Sorokin has stated that he would like to stay with the Islanders, as well. “I’m always open (to an extension), but I have one more year,” he said. “I never think about contracts. … Yes, (the Islanders are) very, very great for me. I love this place, the people around me,” (from ‘Can Islanders lock up Ilya Sorokin long term now that he’s a Vezina Trophy finalist?’, The Athletic, 5/11/23).
Lamoriello will likely make a push to sign Sorokin before the season starts so it doesn’t become a distraction. The Islanders are up against the cap, but this should be one of the top priorities this off-season. Having a solidified franchise goalie like Sorokin gives the Islanders hope that if they get into the playoffs, they could always make a long run.