Ilya Sorokin Earned Top 5 Ranking for Carrying NY Islanders

The NHL.com goalie rankings hold New York Islanders star Ilya Sorokin in high regard.

Apr 11, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during a break in the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders overachieved for most of the 2025-26 season because of how well their goalie, Ilya Sorokin, was performing.

He constantly put the team on his back, helping overcome other shortcomings the team experienced on the ice. For example, giveaways led to plenty of golden scoring opportunities for opponents, but Sorokin more often than not stood on his head.

Alas, the star goalie did admit that he started to run out of steam down the stretch. In the midst of a playoff race, he was asked to play a lot of minutes, and his production waned. With Sorokin not performing at an elite level, the team struggled to win games and fell out of the playoff race.

Alas, the end-of-season swoon has had no negative impact on how NHL Network producers and analysts view the Islanders star. In their ranking of the top 10 goalies in the league right now, the New York netminder was ranked No. 4.

Ilya Sorokin deserving of No. 4 goalie ranking

Mar 31, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) looks for the puck during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The only goalies ranked ahead of him are Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“The runner-up for the Vezina last season, he has been a top-six finalist in four of the past five seasons. Sorokin's 26 shutouts are the most in the NHL since the 2021-22 season and his .915 save percentage since then is tied for second,” as written at NHL.com.

The Islanders goaltender is as consistent as they come. In the 2025-26 season, he played in 55 games and led the NHL with seven shutouts, the second time in four seasons that he has accomplished that feat.

Ilya Sorokin played at high level for Islanders

Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) stands in the goal crease during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He produced a .906 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average, leading to a record of 29-24-2. Sorokin turned only 31 years old on Aug. 4 and looks to have plenty more years of top-tier production ahead.

It will certainly be interesting to see how Sorokin performs under new head coach Peter DeBoer. A respected hockey mind around the league, he unfortunately has a reputation for not always getting along with his starting goalie at his previous two stops with the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.

The relationship between DeBoer and Sorokin will be key to New York finding the kind of success they believe they are capable. Adjustments to the defensive scheme, with improved structure, will take some of the pressure off Sorokin always to have to save the team with hero-like performances.