NY Islanders Backup Goalie Spot Is More Important Than Some Think

Why is the backup goalie spot and important position for the New York Islanders?

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 will be getting ready for the start of the regular season in just over a month, and the team will be hoping to be a playoff contender. 

Coming off a strong campaign last year, the Islanders are a team that is going to have some higher expectations. Bringing in Peter DeBoer at the end of last season has moved the goalposts a bit for the team, and with his record as a coach, they should be better. 

This group currently has a mix of veterans and up-and-coming players. While there will be some changes next season as the veterans see their contracts expiring, the team is being built for the future and around their young star Matthew Schaefer. 

While the talented rookie deservingly got a lot of the credit for the better-than-expected campaign during the 2025-26 season, he wasn’t the only player on the team who performed well. 

This offseason, while the team wasn’t the most aggressive in terms of bringing in new talent, they did address a potential area of need in the net. 

Backup Goalie Becoming More Important 

Dec 3, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov (40) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Due to the season moving to 84 games now, things will be starting off earlier for the Islanders, and while an extra two games of hockey doesn’t seem like a lot, this is a grueling sport and one that can take a toll on a player. 

For all teams, quality depth is going to become increasingly important. As the Islanders prepare for the season, they seemingly did a good job of planning for the slight increase in games, and that is in the net. 

While the Islanders have one of the best goalies in the league in Ilya Sorokin, the talented goalie can’t play every night, and New York needs quality production behind him. 

Fortunately, Semyon Varlamov is expected to be fully healthy and back for the Islanders this coming season. The veteran goalie and former starter for the Islanders missed the entire 2025-26 campaign, and it will be good to have him back. 

However, due to his age and missing so much time, it’s fair that the Islanders might have some durability concerns. In free agency, they addressed that by signing Vitek Vanecek. 

Having an insurance policy for Varlamov if he’s unable to stay healthy or struggles is wise, and Vanecek will provide them with that. While the Islanders will be rolling Sorokin out there as much as they can, the quality backup options the team has are a good thing.