Islanders: Why Ilya Sorokin trade rumors never made sense

At one point during the 2020 trade deadline, Ilya Sorokin was rumored to have been traded by the New York Islanders, this is why that never made sense.

The KHL regular season has come to an end, and New York Islanders goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin’s CSKA Moscow has once again ended the season as the top team in the league. In fact, it’s the fifth time in six years they’ve won the regular season.

One of the factors powering them to another regular-season title is the play of Sorokin in the net. On the last day of the regular season, Sorokin pitched his ninth shutout of the year in a 6-0 win for CSKA.

He ended the year with a 1.50GAA (third-best in the league) and 0.935SV% (fifth-best) in 40 games (t-13th) as well as those aforementioned nine shutouts (league-leading). He’s the best goalie outside of the NHL and has been for some time. Which begs the question, why would the Islanders ever want to trade him?

Deadline Drama

In case you weren’t around during the trade deadline, you missed some incredible drama. Within 12 minutes on deadline day, TSN insider Darren Dreger both indicated the New York Islanders had traded goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin and retracted the statement.

Of course, the Islanders wouldn’t trade him. Why would they trade what is likely their best prospect in the system and one that’s ready to hit the NHL tomorrow?

His quality is unquestionable and with the gap that’s about to open up between the pipes in the Islanders crease why would they try to move him. Which is why the rumor that Sorokin’s camp and the Islanders were closing in on a deal made more sense than a possible trade.

With the way the Islanders are playing and how they make goalies better with the system and coaching why would Sorokin look to go elsewhere? Specifically to Chicago who is still going through a retool of sorts might not be competitive for years.

Sorokin can play a year on an ELC, put up solid numbers and could be making top tier money as a goalie in year two.

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It made no sense for the New York Islanders to trade Ilya Sorokin and it makes no sense for Sorokin to want to go anywhere else. He can be making big money and have a successful career with the Islanders just like he’s having with CSKA Moscow.