Edmonton Oilers media can't stop dreaming about acquiring NY Islanders cornerstone

The NHL offseason rumor mill rarely disappoints, but this week, Edmonton media took things a bit too far. On The Jason Gregor Show, columnist Mark Spector suggested the Oilers should try to trade for New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin. “Hey, trade him for Ilya Sorokin. Now we’re talking, right?” Spector said. “Bring in a guy who everybody in hockey would say to you, ‘This guy’s better than Skinner.’”That might sound like a great idea—if you’re in Alberta. But on Long Island? It’s laughable (at least, right at this very moment).

Sorokin is coming off a 61-game season where he posted a 30-24-6 record, a 2.71 GAA, a .907 save percentage, and four shutouts. Behind an inconsistent team, he was still one of the most reliable goaltenders in the league. At 29, he's signed through 2031 on an eight-year, $66 million deal. He’s not only the Islanders’ best player—he’s their backbone.

The idea that the Isles would ship out their franchise netminder, under contract long-term and in his prime, is completely out of touch with where this team is headed. New York isn’t rebuilding. They’re retooling, adding pieces like Jonathan Drouin, re-signing key RFAs, and giving head coach Patrick Roy a deep forward group to implement his system. Trading Sorokin would tear that all down.

Plus, this isn’t even the first time this rumor’s come up. Just last month, Sorokin’s agent Dan Milstein shut it down: "llya Sorokin has a full no-trade clause and has never been part of any trade discussions — not at any point. Surprised this needs correcting, but here we are. There’s a difference between reporting facts and creating buzz around yourself," he wrote on X. Sorokin also addressed the summer rumor mill: “I wasn’t surprised by the rumors. It’s part of the business,” he said. “What did surprise me was how seriously people took them.”

Sure, Edmonton’s goaltending has question marks. Stuart Skinner had a .896 SV% last season and faltered in the playoffs. Calvin Pickard is a backup. It’s understandable that the Oilers want to upgrade—but wanting Sorokin doesn’t make him available.

Even if Edmonton put together a massive package—Skinner, a first-round pick, a top prospect—it wouldn’t make sense for New York. You don’t trade the guy who gives you a chance to win every night.

So while the Oilers search for answers, Islanders fans can rest easy. Sorokin isn’t going anywhere. He’s ours—and we’re not interested in fixing someone else’s problem.