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New York Islanders Linus Soderstrom Opportunity This Season

By Christopher Lizza

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Linus Soderstrom #30 of Sweden deflects the puck on a shot from Slovakia during the Bronze medal game of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship on January 05, 2015 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Linus Soderstrom #30 of Sweden deflects the puck on a shot from Slovakia during the Bronze medal game of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship on January 05, 2015 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images) /
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The New York Islanders will most likely enter camp with Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss as one and two on their goalie depth chart. But what about Linus Soderstrom? Soderstrom could get an opportunity this season to show he is the Isles future starting goaltender.

It’s no secret that head of hockey operations, Lou Lamoriello is looking to improve the New York Islanders play in between the pipes. For now, Lou is going with Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss.

Lehner (turns 27 at the end of the month) signed a one-year deal ($1.5 million) at the beginning of the month. Greiss (32 years old) is looking to bounce back after a rough year last season.

Barring a trade falling into Lamoriello’s lap or an injury, Lehner, and Greiss will be one-two come opening night.

Soderstrom

Just because it’s unlikely that Linus Soderstrom makes the opportunity night roster, doesn’t mean training camp isn’t a huge opportunity for him. An impressive camp by Soderstrom would show Lou and Barry Trotz that he should be considered as part of the Isles future plans in net.

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Leaving a big impression in training camp could go a long way in terms of Soderstrom getting to the NHL sooner rather than later. Again when the season starts in all likelihood he will be in Bridgeport. But remember he will be just a phone call away.

Soderstrom mission for this upcoming training camp is to make it very hard for Lou to send him to Bridgeport. Given the Isles roster, the 2014 fourth-round selection is a long shot to make the team.

However, that shouldn’t stop him from having a great camp.

The Isles Future in Net

The Islanders have three goalie prospects to be excited about. Besides Soderstrom, the Isles also have Ilya Sorokin and Jakub Sharek.

Sharek, who the Isles drafted in the third-round in last months draft (72nd overall) is just 18 year of age. It’s going to take some time for the 6’3, 196 lbs goalie to develop but he has already inked his entry-level contract with the Isles.

Sorokin is a whole different set of encyclopedias. The soon to be 23-year old net minder was the Isles third-round pick back in 2014. Sorokin is one of the top NHL goalie prospects.

However, Sorokin is currently under contract in the KHL and has shown a reluctance to come over, especially when Garth Snow was GM. One of the items on Lou’s to-do list is to get Sorokin to the Island by next Spring. It sounds like an episode of The Americans.

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Next: Isles Could Have Bellows & Toews Come October

So Soderstrom has some stiff competition in terms of being the future number one in net for the New York Islanders. However, he has a big leg up on them, as he is already here and could see significant time in the NHL this coming season, where he could strut his stuff.

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