Ilya Sorokin injury: Latest on Islanders star goalie

New York Islanders star goaltender Ilya Sorokin is dealing with a “nagging issue,” the team announced, and will be shelved for Tuesday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

The team added that it will use the holiday break from Dec. 24-26 for him to rest and recover, and the hope is that he will be ready to go on the other side of it when the Islanders resume play on Saturday at UBS Arena against the Rangers.

The specifics of the injury, or how he sustained it, are unknown. However, Sorokin was run into by Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk during Friday night’s 4-1 loss. Backup David Rittich manned the crease on the second leg of their back-to-back on Saturday, a 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Marcus Hogberg has been recalled from AHL Bridgeport on an emergency basis to serve as a temporary second-stringer behind Rittich.

Sorokin has been enjoying a bounce-back season after two straight down seasons and a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign. He’s 12-10-2 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average — his best marks since finishing second in the Vezina Trophy voting for the 2022-23 season.

Part of that can be attributed to the Islanders’ change at goalie coach earlier in the season. They dismissed long-time fixture Piero Greco and promoted Sergei Naumovs, who worked with Sorokin for a time with CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

For more on Ilya Sorokin and the Islanders, visit AMNY.com