Islanders G Sorokin expected to be ready for season after back surgery
Published
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin is expected to be ready for the start of the season after undergoing back surgery during the off-season, head coach Patrick Roy said Monday.
Roy did not detail the exact detail of the procedure or when it took place.
"I'm not concerned because we have two very good goaltenders," Roy said. "In the exit meeting with Ilya ... he knows what he has to do, and he knows that I'm with him. He knows I'm trusting him, and he knows that he's going to be an important player on our team.
“So, the surgery that he had for his back, it's not the perfect thing, but I think he'll be fine. And I do believe that we have such a good medical staff that'll take care of him. They'll make sure that when he's ready, he'll help us.”
Sorokin, 29, posted a 25-19-12 record last season with a .909 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average. He appeared in one game during the playoffs, being pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots against the Carolina Hurricanes. Semyon Varlamov started the team's other four playoff games.
Sorokin is entering his fifth season with the Islanders and owns a career record of 95-65-30 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.53 GAA.
He was selected by New York in the third round of the 2014 draft.