New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin is one of the most talented goalies in the National Hockey League. But there's one area of his game that's been lacking: playing the puck. Patrick Roy wants him playing the puck more.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin is one of the most talented goalies in the National Hockey League.
But there's one area of his game that's been lacking: playing the puck.
Since Patrick Roy arrived on Long Island, he's preached speed, especially in breaking the puck out. Goaltenders who can play the puck, like New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, become an added weapon in quick breakouts.
"I should play the puck more. I should play better with the puck," Sorokin told The Hockey News back on Feb. 14.
"Playing the puck really helps the defenseman and helps us really quickly get into the attacking zone, so the goalie should play the puck really well."
Now, only a select few goaltenders can sauce the puck to a forward in stride and create those legitimate odd-man rush breakaway chances.
For Sorokin, him playing the puck more means leaving his crease to slow things down.
But for a goalie who doesn't play the puck often, it's a skill and a mindset that needs to be worked on for it to become a habit.
Over the last handful of games, we've seen Sorokin leave his net a tad more to slow down pucks, at times, cutting it close with fast forecheckers closing in.
But, if mastered, the puck-moving skill gives Roy's Islanders a huge advantage, especially given the way Roy wants to play.
Following Monday's practice, THN asked Roy -- who doesn't like to interfere with goalie coach Piero Greco -- if there's been an emphasis on Sorokin being more aggressive in playing the puck.
"Yes. We practice that almost every day now," Roy said. "I mean, we want to make sure that Sorokin [and Varlamov] are both comfortable moving the puck.
"This is important. I mean, a lot of teams love to rim the puck. So, if he cuts the rim, that will help us break out and cut down on [the opponents'] forecheck."
It's impossible, watching from above or from the television, to realize just how fast the game of hockey is. The great teams can slow the game down in their minds while also playing fast on this ice, with quick puck movements and decisions.
The teams that transition well are usually the teams at the top of the standings.
You may think that Sorokin leaving his crease to slow down a puck coming around the boards is slowing the game down, but what it's doing is allowing his defenseman not to have to stop, making a play on the puck -- potentially win a board battle due to a forechecker -- and then break out.
Stopping the puck behind the net or slowing down a puck allows the defenders to grab the puck in stride and go north up the ice.
The Islanders never looked faster than they did on Saturday night in their 5-1 win over the Boston Bruins, and Sorokin played a part in that.
To help the Islanders stay fast, Roy will need Sorokin to keep building up that area of his game.