Ilya Sorokin's former goaltending coach Sergei Naumovs to join the NY Islanders organization

News broke yesterday that goaltending guru Mitch Korn was leaving the NY Islanders to rejoin Barry Trotz with the Nashville Predators. Today, the team announced Korn's replacement, along with another signing.

Chris Terreri, who served as the Director of Goaltending and Scouting for the Bridgeport Islanders, will now take over that same role with the NHL Islanders, while Sergei Naumovs has been hired as the goalie coach in Bridgeport. Piero Greco will remain the Islanders' goaltending coach.

Terreri began his career as a goaltending coach in 2005 with the New Jersey Devils AHL affiliate, the Albany River Rats. After five seasons in the AHL, he was promoted, joining the Devils from 2010-2017. During the 2017-18 season, he joined the Islanders organization splitting time as a development coach with the Islanders and a goaltending coach in Bridgeport.

Ilya Sorokin and Sergei Naumovs reunited

The more interesting of the two hires is Naumovs in Bridgeport. Naumovs has spent his entire coaching career, which began in 2009, as a goaltending coach in the KHL. He spent time with Dinamo Riga, Donbass Donetsk, Atlant Mytishchi, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and most recently CSKA Moskva.

When Naumovs joined CSKA Moskva he worked with Ilya Sorokin during the goaltender's two best seasons of his career. In their first season together, Sorokin allowed just 1.16 goals per game while boasting a .940 SV% on their way to a Gagarin Cup championship. Sorokin followed the season up with a 1.50 GAA and .935 Sv% the next year.

While Naumovs will be working primarily in Bridgeport, Sorokin and his struggles this season have to be part of the reason Lou and Chris Lamoriello elected to bring the Riga native over for his first foray in North America.

Sorokin's numbers were way down from his career averages with a 3.01 GAA and .909 SV%, as his 8-year $8.25 AAV contract begins next season. Sorokin is the key to the Islanders' success, capable of carrying the team on his back when he's at his best. Bringing in a familiar voice to work with Sorokin during the off-season and in training camp can only be positive.