NY Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin is proving to be the King of shutouts

The New York Islanders don’t just have a great goaltender — they have the Soro-KING of shutouts.

Ilya Sorokin continues to separate himself not only from his peers, but from the entire history of the franchise. With 29 career shutouts, Sorokin already owns the most by any NHL goaltender since his debut in 2020-21. In that same span, Connor Hellebuyck has 25 and Igor Shesterkin has 22 — elite company, yet still chasing Sorokin.

The latest shutout coming in a had-to-have game for the Islanders. Sorokin not only had to play on back-to-back, but needed to shake off a sub-par performance and be a rock for his team that was in danger of reeling. “Today I feel better than yesterday,” Sorokin said. after the 1-0 win over Columbus. “Usually it works like that, I don’t know why it’s like this.”

This season has only strengthened his case. Sorokin leads the NHL in shutouts and has tied the Islanders’ single-season record with seven, matching marks set by Semyon Varlamov and Chico Resch. He’s also the first Islanders goalie to reach that number twice, a testament to both his consistency and dominance. The only other goalie in the league this season with multiple seven-shutout campaigns? Sergei Bobrovsky.

But what truly elevates Sorokin is how frequently he delivers perfection. Among goaltenders with at least 25 career shutouts, Sorokin ranks fifth all-time in shutouts per games played (9.8%), trailing only legends like Roman Cechmanek, Ken Dryden, Dominik Hasek, and Martin Brodeur. That’s not just elite — that’s historic territory.

And the most remarkable part? He’s just getting started.

He's only 30, signed long-term, and at 29 shutouts and counting, Sorokin is on pace to own virtually every meaningful shutout record in Islanders history. Given his age and trajectory, it’s not a question of if he’ll pass every name that came before him — it’s how far he’ll push the bar for anyone who comes after.

For a franchise built on goaltending greatness, from Billy Smith to modern standouts, Sorokin is redefining the standard.

The Soro-KING isn’t just reigning — he’s building a legacy that could stand alone for generations.