Semyon Varlamov has been a huge part of the Islanders’ recent success. He has bailed the team out with amazing games and is widely recognized as a top goaltender in the league.

However, things have changed since Ilya Sorokin came over from the KHL. Sorokin was a highly touted prospect and he did not disappoint with an impressive rookie year. This year, Sorokin has started nine games and played wonderfully, recording three shutouts.

So, this leaves the Islanders with two options for the next year and a half: go with a tandem, which would be one of the best in hockey, or choose one goalie. Therefore, in my opinion, Lou Lamoriello should consider trading Varlamov this offseason.

Varlamov’s trade value will be high, as he will only have one more season on his four-year, $20 million contract he signed on July 1, 2019. Teams looking for a goalie this offseason would be very interested.

The Islanders will likely have some holes to fill this offseason, including a scoring forward and depth defenseman. They will also need to re-sign Cal Clutterbuck and Noah Dobson. Trading Varlamov’s $5 million cap hit could help them do just that.

The Islanders have been on the cusp of the Stanley Cup the last two seasons, and they just need a little more firepower. Sorokin is clearly the goalie that should carry this team, meaning Varlamov and his cap hit are replaceable.

Marc-Andre Fleury, Darcy Kuemper and Joonas Korpisalo are pricy, unlikely options to replace Varlamov. A trio of ex-Islanders – Thomas Greiss, Mikko Koskinen and Jaroslav Halak – will be available as well. Plus, Pavel Francouz, Braden Holtby, Martin Jones, Jack Campbell and David Rittich could be signed for cheap, too.

Therefore, Varlamov could be expendable this offseason. Will he be traded? Probably not. But should he be traded? Perhaps he should.

John Smark