The New York Islanders have a problem with their goaltenders, but it is a good one to have.

For the third straight year, the Islanders have two goaltenders who can step in at any time and deliver a quality performance. But this year is quite different. This year, they have two great goaltenders.

Both Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin rank within the top-14 goaltenders in Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) this season, a feat especially encouraging for the distant future given Varlamov’s expensive contract and Sorokin’s relative inexperience in the NHL.

That said, the Islanders have more to look forward to than the distant future. With a near 100% percent chance of making the playoffs, the Islanders will seek their second consecutive deep postseason run. With the luxury of experienced forwards and shutdown defensemen, Barry Trotz likely will not need to make too many game-changing decisions with his skaters. But the goaltenders are a different story. How should Trotz split up goaltending duties in the postseason?

In the first series, the Game 1 starting goaltender should be Semyon Varlamov. Unless the Philadelphia Flyers miraculously make the playoffs, Varlamov likely will have been the stronger goaltender against the Islanders’ first-round matchup than Sorokin this season. Combine this reality with Varlamov’s postseason experience, he should lead the way for the Islanders.

Then, however, the Islanders should deploy a relatively unconventional strategy, one that few teams have the opportunity to deploy. They should almost exclusively alternate starting goaltenders. The Islanders have alternated goaltenders fairly regularly this season, especially as of late, allowing both Varlamov and Sorokin to produce at a high level. Last season, Trotz stuck with Varlamov until his production deteriorated. This season, Trotz has the ability to foresee and prevent any decline in production by keeping his goaltenders well-rested and protected.

Another benefit of obtaining a healthy amount of rest is the potential use of a short leash. If either goaltender struggles early into the game, the other goaltender will be rested enough to enter the game and deliver a productive performance. Given the inconsistencies of goaltenders on a game-by-game basis, Trotz could make great use of this invaluable opportunity.

The Islanders are looking to hoist the Stanley Cup. While a series victory would be superb, that is far from the end goal for the team. Thus, the Islanders should not overwork either goaltender in their potential journey to their fifth Stanley Cup.

All statistics are from Evolving-Hockey or MoneyPuck and are accurate at the time of writing.

Aidan Resnick

Aidan is a freshman at the University of Chicago, studying data science and business economics, and an aspiring sports analyst. In 2019, he attended the Wharton Moneyball Academy, the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference, and the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, experiences that inspired him to pursue sports analytics. Aidan’s passion for sports analytics is best represented in his newest sports analytics book, “The Stats Game,” where he illuminates statistical tools and debunks myths in sports analytics, as well as in his victorious Diamond Dollars Case Competition project and in Resnick Player Profiles. A lifelong New York Islanders fan, Aidan always approaches his work with Drive4Five with an analytical mindset, focusing on the newest advancements in hockey analytics to maximize the precision of his content. Aside from sports analytics, Aidan is a dedicated violinist and chess player.