Islanders playoff miss likely cost Sorokin Vezina Trophy

One of the narratives surrounding the New York Islanders throughout this season was Ilya Sorokin’s brilliant season. For a while, the chatter focused on Sorokin following in Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina/Hart Trophy season last year.

Hellebuyck earned the rare feat by posting otherworldly numbers en route to the Winnipeg Jets winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

That was sort of the route that Sorokin was on. Sorokin was singlehandedly taking the Islanders to the playoffs until he didn’t.

The Islanders’ late-season skid, in particular, its 3-7-0 record in the last 10 games, was enough to doom the Isles to miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Now, making a case for Sorokin to win the Hart Trophy is like trying to convince people to buy rocks.

But what about the Vezina? Would Sorokin still get Vezina consideration despite the playoff miss?

That’s unlikely. The Islanders playoffs miss likely cost Sorokin the Vezina Trophy. His 2.68 GAA and .906 SV% aren’t among the league’s best numbers. Plus, other goalies going to the postseason, like the Colorado Avalanche’s Scott Wedgewood, the Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman, and the Washington Capitals’ Logan Thompson, should all get far more votes than Sorokin.

On the contrary, had Sorokin managed to steal enough games to get the Islanders into the postseason, the narrative would be different. Voters would be looking at Sorokin as an elite goalie who can carry his team to the postseason.

As for the less-than-elite numbers, voters could blame them on the team in front of Sorokin.

It’s too bad the Isles’ season ended this way. It could have been a historic season for the team’s franchise goalie.

Sorokin was unfortunate victim in Islanders late-season collapse

The Islanders’ late-season collapse can’t be pinned solely on Sorokin. Taking the last five games as proof alone, Sorokin played well enough to keep his team in the playoff hunt.

For instance, the April 3 to the Philadelphia Flyers was a bit of a stinker for Sorokin. He allowed four goals on 21 shots. But when you actually look at the goals, the Isles clearly let Sorokin down.

The dreadful giveaway by Ryan Pulock that led to the Flyers’ first goal in that game against the Flyers is a good example of why you can’t pin the whole collapse on Sorokin.

Sorokin came back with 36 saves against the Carolina Hurricanes in a 4-3 loss the next day. That was Sorokin making back-to-back starts.

He allowed three goals on 16 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Peter DeBoer’s debut. But the offense picked him up.

But it was against the Ottawa Senators on April 11 that things really looked bad. Yes, Sorokin allowed two goals on 15 shots, but the Islanders were shut out. Then, Sorokin again went back-to-back against the Montreal Canadiens, and, well, that’s when the wheels completely came off.

All told, anyone wanting to blame the playoff miss on Sorokin hasn’t seen the bigger picture. The collapse wasn’t on any single player. It took an entire team effort to see such an epic drop.

It’s too bad things turned out this way. Had the Islanders held on to a playoff spot, we’d be talking about Sorokin’s Vezina Trophy season. Instead, we’re stuck wondering what’s next for this organization.

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