A rest may finally be in store for Ilya Sorokin.
The Islanders activated backup netminder Semyon Varlamov off injured reserve Monday, sending Ken Appleby to AHL Bridgeport in a corresponding move, restoring order in nets after Sorokin had played in 14 straight games.
“He’s been playing a lot lately,” new coach Patrick Roy said of Sorokin after he made 41 saves in an overtime win over the Stars on Sunday. “I think it’s gonna be good when Varly’s back and gives him a bit of a rest, but he was very solid.”
A year after he played in 62 games, Sorokin’s workload has been nothing short of massive.
He’s faced more shots than any goaltender in the league (1,175) and played behind a defense that has bled high-danger looks all year. He has faced more than 40 shots in a game nine different times.
In correspondence with that, his numbers have dropped off from Vezina Trophy contention last year to something approaching normal this season — a .910 save percentage and 3.17 goals-against average.
Getting Varlamov back after the netminder played just two games over the last month with a lower-body injury — the last being on Jan. 2 in Colorado when he exited 14:52 into the match — will be massive in reducing Sorokin’s workload.
The only action the Isles were comfortable giving Appleby came in the third period of a 5-0 loss in Minnesota, with the game already a lost cause by the time he came in.
The next night in Winnipeg, there was Sorokin facing 43 shots in a loss.
It remains to be seen how Roy will rotate Sorokin and Varlamov in nets.
But as a four-time Cup winner and Hall of Fame goaltender himself, it figures that he should have a good sense for what each of them can handle.
