Semyon Varlamov shows up at the biggest time for the NY Islanders

There were questions surrounding Lou Lamoriello's decision to offer a 35-year-old goaltender a 4-year extension in the offseason, yet Semyon Varlamov proved to be worth his weight in gold down the stretch for the NY Islanders.

*Read our previously Published player report cards: Sebastian Aho | Mat Barzal | Samuel Bolduc | Casey Cizikas | Cal Clutterbuck | Noah Dobson | Pierre Engvall | Hudson Fasching | Simon Holmstrom | Bo Horvat | Anders Lee | Kyle MacLean | Matt Martin | Scott Mayfield | Brock Nelson | JG Pageau | Kyle Palmieri | Adam Pelech | Ryan Pulock | Mike Reilly | Alexander Romanov | Ilya Sorokin

NY Islnders 2023-24 Report Card: Semyon Varlamov

The first three-quarters of the 2023-24 season played out similarly to the previous season, with Ilya Sorokin getting the majority of the starts and Varlamov occasionally spelling his fellow countryman. Whenever Varly had his opportunity between the pipes we typically saw the best version of himself, finishing with a 14-8-4 record with a 2.60 GAA and .918 SV%.

Varlamov became the Islanders' regular starter in mid-March, going 11-1-1 down the stretch to help his team secure third place in the Metro Division and their second straight playoff appearance.

Named the starter in four of the five playoff games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Varlamov was far from the Islanders' biggest problem in the postseason, as he kept his team in games they'd otherwise have no business being in.

The Islanders' hope for next season is that Sorokin returns to his normal self as one of the league's top goaltenders, with Varlamov taking over between the pipes every few games. Getting off to a much better start and not chasing the standings would allow Patrick Roy to rotate his starter more often, keeping both netminders fresh throughout the season. When these two goaltenders are clicking at the same time, there's no argument against them being one of the top duos in the league.

Varlamov will continue to be a crucial piece within the Islanders' roster. Heading to next season at 36 years old, the 15-year veteran appears to still have plenty of tread on the tires.

Final Grade: B+