Writer/Analyst says that the Leafs should go after an Islanders goalie, and it's not Semyon Varlamov
There are a lot of opinions on what the Leafs should do this summer, especially when it comes to their situation in goal. With Jack Campbell's future in Toronto hinging on his agent and Leafs GM Kyle Dubas settling on a number that they're currently VERY far apart on, and Petr Mrazek's disastrous 2021-22 season, priority number one for the Buds is to sort out their goaltending situation. Let's get that out of the way right now.
Writer and analyst James Tanner is a polarizing figure in the hockey writing community because of some of his wild takes and what some might call "homerism" for the Leafs. That doesn't mean he's always wrong, it just means that he reaches at times, and that's fine. There's all different types of ways to be passionate about the Leafs. Tanner has his way, I have mine and you have yours. We don't have to always see eye to eye to share in that passion. But I digress.
The reason Tanner's name came up is because of a proposition that he had thrown out on Twitter on Friday, suggesting that if the Islanders are indeed approaching a possible rebuild, the Leafs should put all their cards on the table and try to negotiate a deal for 26-year-old goaltender Ilya Sorokin.
Sorokin is signed for 2 more seasons at a very affordable $4M per season, especially when you factor in what he brings to the table and the fact that he is in the prime of his career. Now, in no way, shape, or form do I believe that Sorokin is available or that the Leafs have any shot in hell of acquiring him even if he was, due to the fact that the Isles would likely prefer not to deal him in conference, but he certainly fits the mold of what the Leafs are looking for. He's big, he's athletic, he's strong positionally, he doesn't give up soft goals and, over the last 3 seasons, he's second only to Igor Shesterkin in high danger save percentage in the entire league. Simply put, if you only need one big save to win a game, Sorokin's going to give it to you.
The problem here is that the Isles know exactly what they have in Sorokin and GM Lou Lamoriello is not going to be in any sort of a rush to move a 26-year-old goaltender who is very likely going to be the Isles' franchise goaltender for the next decade. The reason you don't trade elite goaltenders or young goalies who are showcasing elite skills is because you don't find elite goalies very often. A veteran like Lou Lamoriello knows this all too well. Does the name "Martin Brodeur" ring any bells? Lamoriello held onto Brodeur for dear life through all but 7 of Brodeur's 1,266 career regular season NHL games, winning 3 Stanley Cups together over that span.
Now, Sorokin may not be the next Martin Brodeur, but you take my point. GM's are not eager to trade goaltenders who have the ability to outright steal games - even GM's of rebuilding teams. Sorokin's career record may not jump off the page, as it's not much over .500 hockey at 39-35 (39-24-11), but his 2.33 career GAA and .923 career SV% is certainly noteworthy, especially if you consider what a disaster this season was for the Isles. Imagine being a team who posted a 37-35-10 record while your #1 goaltender appeared in 52 of your games and averaged .925 SV% in those 52 games.
This one is certainly wishful thinking. That said, if for some reason the Isles were open to the idea of moving Sorokin, the only name in Toronto that is on my list of untouchables is limited to Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Anyone else is fair game, including prospect Matthew Knies.
| POLL | ||
MAI 27 | 247 ANSWERS Writer/Analyst says that the Leafs should go after an Islanders goalie, and it's not Semyon Varlamov If the Islanders were open to trading Ilya Sorokin, would you want Kyle Dubas to swing for the fences? | ||
| Yes, whatever it takes - short of 16 or 34 | 72 | 29.1 % |
| Yes - anyone except Matthews | 41 | 16.6 % |
| No, goalies are voodoo | 24 | 9.7 % |
| Sorokin isn't going anywhere | 110 | 44.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
