Islanders Sorokin Thrilled to Sign Extension Before Season: 'My Mind Is Clean'
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin is more than satisfied to sign an extension. Now, he can focus on just getting better.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- When the New York Islanders 2022-23 season ended abruptly, the organization had decisions to make.
Four key players were set to become free agents, but the most significant question mark was the future of Ilya Sorokin on the island.
After a Vezina-caliber season, solidifying himself as a top-three goaltender in the NHL, Sorokin was eligible to sign an extension with New York, with one year remaining on his deal.
Sorokin was the biggest reason the Islanders made the playoffs, and although the postseason didn't go the way Sorokin or his team wanted, that didn't change his importance to their future plans.
Not only did Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello bring back all his free agents on July 1st, the first day of free agency, but he also locked Sorokin up on an eight-year deal worth $66 million ($8.25 M AAV).
That contract kicks in for the 2024-25 season.
Although Sorokin was more than happy to sign a long-term deal, he's happier that it's not something he has to think about this season.
"You try not to think about this, but my mind is clean [now]," Sorokin said. "I can just [put in the] work and just think about hockey.
"The next day, I just started working. I don't think about what's going on. Just think about what I can do, how I can be better."
Sorokin did share that he worked on stick handling this summer, as that is one of the few areas of his game that needs work.
If you thought the Islanders' fanbase was excited to have Sorokin commit to the franchise for the foreseeable future, no one is happier than his teammates.
"Ilya [Sorokin] is a special player, special athlete, and one of the best goalies in the league," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "He has been proven that for a long time now, and it's definitely Ilya on out. We work off of him. And that's how we've been. That's been part of our identity."
"And it's great to see him be here as an Islander for a long time."
Defenseman Scott Mayfield (more on him coming), who signed a long-term extension this summer as well, said part of why he committed long-term was because Sorokin did.
"He was a big part of me coming back here, making sure that he wanted to be back here," Mayfield said. "I think it says a lot about him because if he goes [into free agency], I think most guys have anywhere from five to 10 teams [interested]. I think he'd have every single team, so he wanted to be here."
Although Sorokin is the most significant part of the Islanders' success equation, so is the play of his goalie partner, Semyon Varlamov, who the Islanders also brought back on a four-year deal worth $11 million ($2.75 M).
This season will be their fourth together, and they couldn't be better friends.
Semyon is great guy and my good friend," Sorokin said. "Happy for him. He deserves it. It's like really good. "
"Happy he's with us."
The Islanders didn't bring in many players this summer, with the focus clearly on retaining players. Despite that, Sorokin has no doubts about what his team can do before him.
"We'll see this year. It's not a question for me because I didn't see nothing in my crease," Sorokin joked. "I believe we have a great team."