It is no secret that Semyon Varlamov will be the number one goalie for the New York Islanders going into the 2021-22 NHL season. But what a lot of Islander fans are looking to see is whether Ilya Sorokin can take the next step and become the starter for the Islanders this season.

While that will largely depend on his play — he will have to perform and be consistent — Varlamov will have to take a big step back for head coach Barry Trotz to lose his trust in him. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing for Sorokin, Varlamov and the Islanders.

Sorokin will have the opportunity to really take over the starting role. Nevertheless, even if he is still the backup, he will grow immensely. Having the opportunity to work under Varlamov and goalie coach Mitch Korn, he will grow as a goaltender and will have the chance to become one of the best goalies in the NHL. He has all the tools to be a top goaltender in this league and his second season should prove it.

Sorokin will look to build off a strong rookie campaign in which he posted a .918 save percentage and a 2.17 goals against average. He has lived up to the hype that surrounded him while he was dominating the KHL in Russia. Ever since the Islanders drafted Ilya Sorokin 78th overall back in 2014, Islanders fans have been waiting for his long-awaited NHL debut, and have hoped that he will eventually be the starter. He is on his way to becoming just that. This season should be one of significant improvements for this future starting goalie.

Jack Kobil

Hi, my name is Jack Kobil. I am currently attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington DC. I am a huge Islanders fan and I love to share my passion for this team.