Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin deserves consideration for Hart Trophy as league's MVP
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin against the Wild on Jan. 10, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Credit: AP/Bailey Hillesheim
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — There’s plenty of rightful buzz these days that Ilya Sorokin is a strong candidate to win his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie.
But that scope must be expanded to this: The Islanders No. 1 netminder should also be in the conversation for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.
“Absolutely,” coach Patrick Roy said. “He’s been playing really well for us. Steady.”
A goalie has won the Hart just nine times since the trophy started being handed out in 1924. But the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Sorokin’s counterpart on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre as the Islanders continued a seven-game road trip that started 1-0-1, was awarded both the Hart and the Vezina last season.
He became the fifth goalie to be so double honored after the Canadiens’ Jacques Plante (1962), the Sabres’ Dominik Hasek (1997 and 1998), the Canadiens’ Jose Theodore (2002) and the Canadiens’ Carey Price (2015).
Sorokin entered Tuesday’s start coming off his 33-save masterpiece in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win in Minnesota. His three third-period, point-blank saves on Danila Yurov were alone a Hart Trophy-highlight reel. Sorokin, who finished runner-up to then-Bruin Linus Ullmark for the Vezina in 2023, faced the Jets with a 14-10-2 record, a 2.47 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Those numbers are far from Hart or Vezina worthy. But a bigger-picture appreciation is needed.
Sorokin was, frankly, abysmal at the start of the season, allowing four goals in each of his first four starts and in five of his first seven. His rebound control was shaky and his confidence wavered. It led to the Islanders replacing goalie coach Piero Greco with Sergei Naumovs, who had worked with Sorokin in the KHL.
Sorokin has allowed four goals just once since while giving up two or fewer goals 10 times. Saturday’s performance made him the first Islanders goalie to win his first 11 games in a season in which he’s faced 30 or more shots. He entered Tuesday 7-2-0 since Dec. 2 with a 2.09 GAA and a .937 save percentage.
Analytics website MoneyPuck.com showed that his 19.0 goals saved above expected led the NHL.
Project those numbers over the rest of the season and that’s why Sorokin should be considered for the Hart.
“Yeah, why not?” defenseman Ryan Pulock said when asked whether goalies should win the Hart. “If they’re the MVP of the team and they make that much of a difference than I think, yeah. [Sorokin] gives us a chance and steals games for us. He’s been unbelievable. That’s been the same for years now. Having a front row seat to it is fun to watch.”
Often, though — and putting Hellebuyck’s win last season aside — the voting done by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association tends to focus on high-scoring forwards. Defensemen have only been named the Hart winner five times since 1924, making them even more under-represented than goalies.
Hellebuyck, like Sorokin, has long been considered among the NHL’s elite goalies. He’s won back-to-back Vezina Trophies (voted upon by the league’s general managers) and three since 2020.
But being recognized also as the Hart Trophy winner last season was special to the entire Jets’ team.
“That was a really cool experience,” Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo said. “That’s something that, I think, when we all look back on our career, we’ll realize maybe how much more special that was. Every single night he was allowing one goal, two goals. That stretch was unbelievable. It was impressive. As crazy as it is, it wasn’t super surprising for us, just the way he goes about his business.”
Last season, Hellebuyck went 47-12-3 with a 2.00 GAA and a .925 save percentage to lead all goalies in wins and GAA as the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy with an NHL-best 116 points.
“It’s situational to be able to win a Hart Trophy, whether you’re a player or a goalie,” Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey said. “You have to have a special year. What he did last year, you look at the numbers and all the different statistics, it was incredible.”
That’s how Sorokin has played since Oct. 31. It’s certainly made him a Vezina candidate.
But Hart Trophy voters should also monitor Sorokin closely.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
