NY Islanders prospect Dmitry Gamzin filling Ilya Sorokin's pads with CSKA Moscow

Russian netminders have taken over the league, as there's no doubt the nation deep in hockey history has been producing the league's best between the pipes.

The NY Islanders, who have arguably the best goalie tandem in the league in Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, added another Russian goalie to their prospect pool, selecting Dmitry Gamzin in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Gamzin filling Sorokin's pads at CSKA

Gamzin, who plays for CSKA Moscow in the KHL, has spent the last few seasons being coached by Sergei Naumovs, the Bridgeport Islanders goalie coach, and the man who helped develop Sorokin when playing for CSKA.

Naumovs certainly had some input in regards to the Islanders selecting Gamzin, and could potentially become part of a one-two punch alongside Sorokin at some point in his career. While there will certainly be comparisons between Gamzin and Sorokin as they were both drafted by the Islanders and played for CSKA, Gamzin wants to be known as his own individual.

When Gamzin first came up with CSKA he wore No. 90 - the number made famous by Sorokin at CSKA.

"I didn’t pick number 90 deliberately," Gamzin told KHL.ru (English website). "I had been assigned it when playing in the U18 League. It’s cool that Ilya Sorokin used to wear it, but I want people to say, 'Oh, that’s Gamzin’s jersey number.' I wear number 33 and I am happy about that."

While Gamzin wants to make a name for himself, he still has a ton of respect for Sorokin, and even calls the current Islanders netminder his favorite player.

"I like the way he plays," Gamzin says. "I also follow Igor Shesterrkin - they are the two goalies who look really good to me."

A fan of the goaltending styles played in New York, Gamzin hopefully can take a similar career path to his two favorite netminders.