Despite having one year left before reaching unrestricted free agency, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello will do everything possible to get start nemtinder Ilya Sorokin signed. But does Sorokin's next deal set the market, or do he and his agent follow another top netminder?

Despite having one year left before reaching unrestricted free agency, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello will do everything possible to get start nemtinder Ilya Sorokin signed.

"We'll certainly work at it," Lou asserted, "and at whatever time -- and effort -- it takes."

Per a source close to the situation, talks have not started between the two sides just yet. Official conversations cannot be had until after July 1st. 

The 27-year-old netminder is coming off a strong season, being named a Vezina finalist. There's no question that Sorokin is the main reason the Islanders got the chance to play postseason hockey. 

In his first season as a true No. 1, Sorokin shined, posting a .924 SV% (fifth) with a 2.34 (third) GAA and a league-leading six shutouts in a career-high 62 appearances, 60 starts, with 31 wins. 

"I'm always open [to signing an extension], but I have one more year. I never think about contracts [...] I love this place, the people around me."

There's a lot of controversy on how to approach Sorokin's next contract, but before moving forward, it's essential to go back a few years to the off-season of 2019.

We saw two goaltenders sign contracts that summer, as Sergei Bobrovsky set the market by signing a seven-year deal worth $10 million annually with the Florida Panthers. In comparison, Andre Vasilevisky put pen to paper on an eight-year extension worth $9.5 million annually with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Bobrovsky was fresh off a first-round sweep of the Lightning as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Vasilevskiy, who was on the other end of that sweep, took home the Vezina a few weeks prior. 

There's no question that Florida overpaid to bring in Bobrovsky, and until this postseason run that has the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final -- currently down 2-0 to Vegas -- has been an overpay given his statistics. 

But Vasilevskiy seemed to be more of a market setter, given the age at which he signed and the success of Tampa.

Were both signings outliers, or were they market setters?

That's something we will find out when Sorokin puts pen to paper, as he can set the market.

But so does another Vezina finalist in 30-year-old Connor Hellebuyck, who can also sign an extension with the Winnipeg Jets this summer.  

The 30-year-old netminder is also entering the final year of his six-year contract, worth $6.166 million, and is due for a substantial raise.

Winnipeg could very well make him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history or another team, as his name is involved in trade rumors.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Jets would listen to offers on Hellebuyck and centers Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck wrote he believes Hellebuyck could be their biggest bargaining chip as the 2023 draft approaches (H/t Lyle Richardson).

Whatever team acquires Hellebuyck, whether at the 2023 NHL Draft or sometime during the summer -- if he gets moved -- will likely sign him rather quickly upon acquisition.

You don't make a move of that caliber, with what Winnipeg will want in return for arguably one of, if not the best, goaltenders in the league, without having the financial means to lock him up.

That doesn't mean Hellebuyck's next deal will set the market, but it certainly provides a comparable for Sorokin and his agent Dan Milstein before they head to the negotiation table.

That's why it's unlikely we'll see Sorokin sign before Hellebuyck. 

Previously written at The Hockey News, the Islanders don't have a choice regarding paying Sorokin.

If Sorokin asked for "too much," the Islanders could trade him for pennies on the dollar or watch him walk in the summer, losing one of the premier NHL goaltenders for nothing. 

When your only superstar is between the pipes, retaining him has to be a priority, which it is for Lamoriello.

READ MORE: Bobrovsky's Resurgence A Loud Reminder For Islanders: Lock Up Sorokin

For those of you that are NFL fans, in March of 22, the Cleveland Browns traded and signed quarterback Deshaun Watson to a five-year, $230 million deal. 

It seemed like a ridiculous overpay and complicated things for other teams around the NFL, like the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Arizona Cardinals, who all had quarterbacks that needed new deals. 

That same off-season, the Cardinals signed Kyler Murray to a five-year deal worth $230.5 million. 

This off-season, as contract talks dragged on between the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, he eventually signed a five-year deal worth $260 million. The Eagles and Jalen Hurts agreed on a five-year deal worth $255 million. 

So, it's clear that an overpay for Watson actually ended up setting the market, as these other three quarterbacks got more. 

Now, what's different about the NHL is that right now, it's only Hellebuyck and Sorokin as potential market setters. Next off-season, the New York Rangers can extend Igor Shesterkin, with Jusse Saros also up for an extension in Nashville. 

While Hellebuyck's potential payout, whether it be $7 million to $10 million annually, wouldn't be considered an overpay, his contract may not just affect Sorokin but likely affects the other two mentioned.

As Islanders fans waited patiently for Lamoriello to speak, which he finally did on Tuesday, they will likely need to wait a bit before finding out Sorokin's new deal.