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Semyon Varlamov

Mathew Barzal, Semyon Varlamov Expect To Be Ready For Training Camp

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New York Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov and forward Mat Barzal both expect to be ready for the start of next season, per Ethan Sears of the New York Post.

Varlamov has been out since November with an injury that required season-ending surgery. The 36-year-old appeared in only 10 games on the season, finishing with a 3-3-4 record and an undesirable .889 save percentage. Speaking to reporters, Varlamov noted the injury is something that he’s been dealing with for quite some time. He added that he is looking forward to returning to action next season.

If healthy, Varlamov should provide the Isles with a solid backup option behind star Ilya Sorokin. Marcus Högberg ended up appearing in 15 games this year, but didn’t make the most of his opportunity, finishing with a 2-6-3 record to pair with a .878 save percentage. Varlamov has two years remaining on his contract, paying a $2.75MM AAV. Despite a rough 2024-25 season, he’s just one year removed from providing New York with a .918 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average. If he can rediscover that type of play, the combination of him and Sorokin should help the club’s efforts to return to the playoffs.

Barzal, who suffered an injury to his knee back in early February, also expects to be 100 percent for next season. In fact, had the Isles made the playoffs, there’s a chance Barzal could have played. In 30 games on the year, he posted six goals and 20 points. The three-time All-Star is coming off of an 80-point season and has produced 190 points in the three seasons prior to this year. The 27-year-old still has six years remaining on his $9.125MM AAV deal.

Islanders Notes: Dobson, Reilly, Palmieri, DeAngelo, Varlamov

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Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is slated to become a restricted free agent this summer and is in line for a substantial raise on the $4MM he made on his bridge deal.  Speaking to reporters including Ethan Sears of the New York Post, the 25-year-old declined to provide a preference between signing a short-term deal that could allow him to hit the open market in his prime or a long-term agreement that could make him the highest-paid player in team history.  Dobson had a quieter year this season with 10 goals and 29 assists in 71 games but he’s only a year removed from a 70-point effort that saw him land in the top ten in Norris Trophy voting which will play a significant role in negotiations.  Dobson has just this one year of RFA eligibility remaining and he is arbitration-eligible.

More from the Isles:

  • After missing more than four months following being diagnosed with a heart condition, defenseman Mike Reilly told reporters including Stefan Rosner of The Hockey News he intends to play next season. The 31-year-old was limited to just 18 appearances this season between the heart issue and being scratched with some frequency and while he noted he’d like to stay with the Isles, the limited usage could suggest that he’s unlikely to be brought back.  Reilly had just two assists in those 18 outings while his 15:10 ATOI was the second lowest of his career.
  • Winger Kyle Palmieri wasn’t moved at the trade deadline with the belief that the two sides were close on a new deal. That hasn’t happened yet but the veteran indicated to Newsday’s Andrew Gross and other reporters that he’s hopeful a new contract can be reached.  A pending UFA, the 34-year-old had 24 goals and 24 assists in 82 games this season which should put him in line for another contract close to the $5MM he received for each of the last four years.
  • Pending UFA defenseman Tony DeAngelo told reporters including Gross that his intention is to remain in the NHL next season with his preferred outcome being remaining with the Isles. Signed midseason after having his KHL deal terminated, DeAngelo played a bigger role than expected, averaging over 23 minutes a night of playing time while chipping in with 19 points in 35 games.  With that type of production, DeAngelo’s market might be better this time around after not getting a firm offer last summer while playing for the prorated league minimum when he joined New York.
  • Goaltender Semyon Varlamov is hoping to start skating in June as he continues his recovery from a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup since late November, Gross relays. The 36-year-old posted a 2.89 GAA with a .889 SV% in just ten starts this season and still has two years left on his contract that carries a $2.75MM cap charge.

Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov Likely Out For Season, Offseason Priorities Forming

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New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello sat down with media for an in-depth look at the team’s current state after the Trade Deadline and where he plans to head this summer. Among the biggest news was that top backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov will likely miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season with his lower-body injury, captured by Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News.

Varlamov has been out of the lineup since late November, but the root of his injury wasn’t entirely clear. He played through a full 61 minutes of action in what could be his last game of the season – an 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on November 29th. He’s been on the shelf ever since, while the Islanders have turned towards Marcus Hogberg and Jakub Skarek to fill backup minutes behind star starter Ilya Sorokin.

Lamoriello went on to speak in depth about the team’s plans for veterans Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, sharing that their goal was to sign both to extensions beyond this season. That plan went awry with Nelson, who was ultimately flipped to the Colorado Avalanche for top prospect Calum Ritchie and draft capital – but Lamoriello emphasized that the team still hopes to bring Palmieri back into the fold, per Newsday’s Andrew Gross. In the same breath, Lamoriello also pointed out that the Islanders need to get younger. They currently carry the 10th-oldest lineup in the NHL, with an average age of 28.96. Of the nine teams older than them, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team in shakier playoff standing than the Wild Card-bound Islanders.

The effort to get younger will mean plenty of change this summer, Lamoriello added. He told Gross that the term “retool” is a relatively new juxtaposition to the long-term idea of a “rebuild”. The Islanders will attempt to stick in the former camp this summer, refreshing the lineup with top prospects and new faces while trimming down on their veteran presence. That could be a challenge if keeping players like Palmieri – a 34-year-old with 20 goals and 41 points in 62 games this season – is at the top of the docket. New York likely won’t want to part with franchise cornerstone Anders Lee, or productive veterans like Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal – which could make top defenders like Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech the focus of any large-scale moves.

The Boston Bruins received top prospect Fraser Minten and a first-round draft pick, among other assets, for top-pair defensive defenseman Brandon Carlo at the Deadline. That price was likely hiked up in a seller’s market, but finding a comparable deal could be the start of New York’s efforts to retool. The Islanders will also have to make sure they’re elevating newly-acquired top prospects to important roles as soon as they can with the youth-movement in mind – an effort they’re already headed towards by clearing Nelson’s role for Ritchie in their recent swap.

New York finds themselves three points behind the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card spot with 20 games left in their season. It’s a hotly contested race, with at least six teams within striking distance of a playoff spot. Moving out Nelson, who was previously tied for the team lead in scoring with 43 points, will make achieving that postseason berth a tough feat. So will losing Varlamov, who had a career-low .889 save percentage this season but posted a far more impressive .917 in his last four seasons with the Islanders. Those absences will require improved performances from the likes of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Hogberg to keep New York competitive.

The Islanders will have six unrestricted free agents and seven restricted free agents to re-sign when their season ends. Among the pending free agents is top-performing rookie Maxim Tsyplakov, top defenders Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and recent acquisitions Tony DeAngelo, Scott Perunovich, and Adam Boqvist. With only three contracts north of $7MM on their books, the Islanders should have plenty of money to work with this summer – a technical $28.9MM per PuckPedia. With his recent comments, it seems veteran GM Lamoriello is set to use that money to its fullest this summer – in an attempt to rejuvenate an Islanders lineup that’s fallen behind the playoff wave this season.

Islanders Issue Updates On Multiple Long-Term Injuries

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New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello met with the media on Saturday morning to provide updates on the team’s endless injury list, captured by NHL.com’s Rachel Luscher. Most notably, Lamoriello shared that backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov has stopped skating on his own or taking shots after a setback in his lower-body injury. Lamoriello dubbed Varlamov as now out indefinitely and referred to his recovery as “a total rehab situation”.

Varlamov has been out of the lineup for over two months but very little about his injury has come to the surface. His last appearance was an overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on November 29th where Varlamov – despite allowing five goals – didn’t seem to suffer a noticeable injury. But he was pulled from skating the following morning, moved to injured reserve on December 14th, then moved to long-term injured reserve five days later. He seemed to be on the rebound when the new year rolled around, returning to skating and individual drills on January 2nd. But after a month of light action, Varlamov still needs more time to recover. He’ll head back to the shelf, forcing the Islanders to continue searching for a backup.

Unfortunately, that search will be made significantly tougher by an injury to Varlamov’s fill-in, Marcus Hogberg, who Lamoriello shared will miss the next four weeks with an upper-body injury. Hogberg was originally injured on January 26th and moved to injured reserve the following day. He’ll now sit out through the two-week break 4-Nations Face-Off from February 9th to February 22nd. Hogberg was in the midst of a small resurgence before going down with injury. He made his return to North American pros with a two-way deal with the Islanders this summer, after spending the last three seasons starting for Linkopings HC of Sweden’s SHL. Hogberg started the year with middling numbers in the AHL – a 2-5-3 record and .898 save percentage in 11 games – but found his momentum in the wake of Varlamov’s injury.

Starter Ilya Sorokin has been New York’s bell-cow, but in seven games relieving him, Hogberg has managed a dazzling, team-leading .947 save percentage. It’s the highest save percentage of his North American career, ignoring sample size. But now, Hogberg will join Varlamov on the absentee list – and force the Islanders to find yet another replacement. After succeeding him as AHL starter, Jakub Skarek has also filled Hogberg’s role of NHL backup in light of his injury. Skarek hasn’t yet made his NHL debut, but he nonetheless seems cushy at the top flight – with Henrik Tikkanen and Hunter Miska both posting save percentages below .840 in their own elevated, minor-league roles.

Moving out of the net, Lamoriello also shared that the team is still unsure when defenseman Mike Reilly will return after undergoing a heart procedure in November. Reilly has been skating on his own since December 14th – just over a month after his surgery – but hasn’t progressed since then. Lamoriello added that Reilly’s situation will be dictated by his doctors. The 31-year-old defenseman is in his second season with the Islanders. He scored a career-high 24 points in 59 games last season, serving as an impactful third-pair option for a deprived Islanders defense. He seemed headed for a cushier role this year, but struggled to manage any scoring through the first 11 games of the season – then fell to injury. Reilly seems to have a winding recovery ahead of him, which could limit his chance to earn another deal when his $1.25MM cap hit expires this summer.

Ending on a positive note, top Islanders defensemen Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock are both expected to return to skating drills during the 4-Nations break, per Andrew Gross of Newsday Sports. Dobson has missed the Islanders’ last four games and earned a spot on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury; while Pulock has missed two games and been placed on standard IR with an upper-body injury. The pair of absences have driven the Islanders to acquire both Scott Perunovich and Adam Boqvist via trade and waivers respectively. This news will lock the new acquisitions into the lineup until the two-week break – but hopefully the blue-line can return to full-health soon after that.

Semyon Varlamov To Practice This Week

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Stefen Rosner of NHL.com is reporting that New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov is expected to return to team practice at some point this week. The update comes from Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and is a bit of good news after the Islanders had a goaltending scare on Saturday when starter Ilya Sorokin fell ill, and the team had to start third-stringer goaltender Marcus Hogberg in net and recall Jakub Skarek on an emergency basis.

The situation ended up favorably, as Hogberg started last night against Utah and picked up the win by stopping 21 of 22 shots. Hogberg has given the Islanders some incredible play in Varlamov’s absence, posting a .950 save percentage and a goals saved above expected of 5.0 (as per Money Puck). However, the Islanders can’t rely on a third-string netminder long-term, and Varlamov’s return will represent an upgrade.

With the shuffling of goaltenders, the Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgeport added to their goaltending depth by signing Hunter Miska to an AHL deal (as per Rosner). The 29-year-old had been playing in the KHL this season with Dynamo Moscow, registering a .908 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average in 14 games. The North Branch, Minnesota native hasn’t played in North America since the 2021-22 seasons and has spent much of his professional career in the AHL while he was a member of the Colorado Eagles. Miska does have six games of NHL experience, five of which were with the Avalanche and one with the Arizona Coyotes.

Islanders Activate Anthony Duclair From LTIR

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Dec. 20: Duclair is indeed off LTIR ahead of today’s game against the Leafs, per Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News.

Dec. 19: Islanders winger Anthony Duclair will be a game-time decision for the Islanders’ next game against the Maple Leafs on Saturday, head coach Patrick Roy said (via Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News). He’ll need to come off long-term injured reserve to play, which Roy said he has an “extremely good chance” of doing. As such, the Isles shifted goaltender Semyon Varlamov from standard IR to LTIR ahead of tonight’s roster freeze to free up additional cap room for Duclair’s activation. That means the netminder will miss at least three more games with his lower-body injury, keeping him out through Dec. 29 against the Penguins.

Duclair, 29, has been out of action since falling awkwardly while attempting to create a scoring chance against the Canadiens back on Oct. 19. His return comes a couple of weeks later than the team initially anticipated when they issued him a four-to-six-week return timeline. Still, they’re nonetheless happy to get his services back. Roy stuck him on the top line alongside Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat to begin the season after the club signed him to a four-year, $14MM pact in free agency, awarding him a good bit of trade protection as well.

The 5’11” winger had two goals and an assist through five appearances before landing on LTIR. He was averaging a career-high 16:30 per game, a figure that would have been higher if not for leaving the game against Montreal in the third period. Duclair generated eight shots on goal, and his line with Barzal and Horvat controlled a team-high 64.6% of expected goals when deployed together, per MoneyPuck. The Isles will be thrilled to get that level of possession control back this weekend as they look to climb back to a .500 record in the month of December. They’re 3-4-1 this month and 12-14-7 on the season, sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division.

Varlamov, 36, hasn’t played since allowing five goals on 26 shots in an overtime loss to the Canadiens on Nov. 29. He backed up Ilya Sorokin for the next two games until sustaining an injury in practice that necessitated the recall of Marcus Högberg from AHL Bridgeport to be the No. 2 option. Högberg has yet to start a game, but since he’s stopped all 17 shots he’s faced in two relief appearances, that might change to give Sorokin a rest after starting nine games in a row.

After posting a .918 SV% in 28 appearances last season, his highest mark in three years, Varlamov has a career-worst .889 mark through 10 starts this year. He’s posted a 3-4-3 record with a 2.89 GAA and allowed 1.1 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck. If that figure stands, it would mark Varlamov’s first season finishing in the red in terms of GSAx since his 2018-19 campaign with the Avalanche.

The Isles will have $437K left in their LTIR pool after adding Varlamov, moving defenseman Grant Hutton off the roster later today after his waiver period is over, and activating Duclair, PuckPedia projects. They’ll have a full 23-player active roster.

Islanders Recall Pierre Engvall, Place Semyon Varlamov On IR

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Sunday: According to Andrew Gross of Newsday Sports, the Islanders have recalled Engvall back to the NHL, making the waiver process a bit of a formality. New York won’t have to place Engvall on waivers for another 30 days giving the organization some added flexibility. Gross also shares that the team has placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who’s missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury, on injured reserve retroactive to November 29th.

Saturday: Engvall cleared waivers, Friedman reports.  When he’s re-assigned to Bridgeport, they will free up a pro-rated $1.15MM in cap space.  As for Wahlstrom, he was claimed by Boston.

Friday: The Islanders have placed wingers Pierre Engvall and Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers for the purposes of assignment to AHL Bridgeport, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

After the Isles clear their roster spots tomorrow, they’ll have increased flexibility to activate their trio of injured skaters – Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair and Adam Pelech – from injured reserve. All three have practiced this week without a non-contact designation.

Engvall thus ends up on the wire for the second time this season. The 28-year-old tumbled down the Islanders’ depth chart during training camp and ended up on waivers before opening night rosters were due. After he managed 10 goals and 28 points in 74 games last season, it was no surprise to see him pass through unclaimed with a whopping six years and $18MM left on the seven-year deal he signed to remain on Long Island in 2023. As such, the likelihood of him being claimed this time remains slim.

In his 20-game call-up since being summoned in place of Duclair in October, Engvall has three goals and six points with a -3 rating. He’s been a healthy scratch three times in the last seven games, so it’s unsurprising to see him being one of the odd ones out to make way for their stars’ return. Waiving him also offers them the most significant possible financial benefit, which is an important consideration as they must navigate cap compliance while activating Barzal and Duclair from LTIR. They won’t be able to bury all of Engvall’s $3MM cap hit in the minors, but they will be able to shed a total of $2.15MM in cap hits combined between him and Wahlstrom.

In six games with Bridgeport in October, Engvall had just one goal. It was his first AHL action since the 2019-20 campaign as a member of the Maple Leafs organization.

Wahlstrom has been the less productive of the pair this season. While the Islanders avoided exposing the 2018 11th overall pick to waivers for as long as possible, there’s no better time than now. The 24-year-old Maine native has just two goals and four points in 27 games this season, averaging a career-low 10:04 per game.

A restricted free agent last summer, the Islanders came to terms on a one-year, $1MM deal for Wahlstrom before his scheduled arbitration hearing. Unfortunately, that choice precipitated Wahlstrom’s worst showing yet as an NHLer. While his offensive production never jumped off the page like they’d hoped, he was at least a semi-effective physical presence. He hasn’t been that at all this season, logging only seven hits in 27 games – his first time averaging under one per game. He also has an abysmal 38% shot attempt share at even strength and a 33.3% expected goals share, creating an argument for Wahlstrom as one of the least valuable skaters in the league.

Now in his sixth NHL season, Wahlstrom may be too far along in his development to be considered a legitimate bounce-back candidate with a change of scenery. Nonetheless, the former electric scoring threat in juniors may have at least one taker on the waiver wire as his $1MM cap hit is fully buriable in the minors if he doesn’t work out.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Islanders Notes: Varlamov, Högberg, Pelech

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Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov isn’t fully healed from his lower-body injury. The team announced that he’s been downgraded to day-to-day once again and will likely miss Thursday’s tilt against the Kraken.

Varlamov, 36, was given a day-to-day designation earlier in the week but could dress as Ilya Sorokin’s backup for Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Canadiens. However, the Russian veteran is now set to be unavailable for a game due to injury for the first time since missing nine contests with a lower-body issue in January last season.

It’s been quite a tough go of things this season for the former All-Star. After posting better numbers than Sorokin in limited usage last season, he’s nosedived to post a .889 SV%, 2.89 GAA, and -3.0 GSAA in 10 starts – his worst numbers since an injury-plagued 2016-17 campaign.

Per MoneyPuck, he’s posted -1.1 goals saved above expected compared to Sorokin’s 5.1 this season. It’s unclear if his downturn in play is due to the dreaded aging curve or if his injury has been lingering and affecting his performance.

The Islanders hope it’s the latter. Varlamov has two seasons left after this one on a four-year, $11MM deal he signed to remain as Sorokin’s backup in the summer of 2023.

More from the Isles today:

  • With Varlamov out, the Islanders have recalled Marcus Högberg from AHL Bridgeport on an emergency basis for the second time this week. He was sent down Tuesday before the Montreal game, so he’s yet to dress for an NHL contest this season, but that will change tonight as he backs up Sorokin against Seattle. The 30-year-old Swede has a 3.26 GAA, .898 SV%, and a 2-5-5 record in 11 games for Bridgeport this season, his first in North America since the 2020-21 campaign. No corresponding transaction is necessary with an open spot on the active roster.
  • Stalwart defenseman Adam Pelech took the ice for the first time today since sustaining a broken jaw at the beginning of November, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. He was wearing a non-contact jersey and a full face shield, but it’s a crucial step for him to return within the next week and a half, as his initial timeline predicated. The 30-year-old has missed 15 games with the injury, during which time the Isles have gone 5-5-5 and now rank last in the Metropolitan Divison.

Islanders Notes: Pageau, Cizikas, Hogberg, Varlamov

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Jean-Gabriel Pageau is in the lineup tonight for the New York Islanders (as per Newsday’s Andrew Gross). Pageau was deemed a game-time decision earlier in the day but ultimately dressed tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. The 32-year-old missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but skated yesterday and took line rushes at morning skate today.

Pageau is playing center tonight on the third line, sandwiched between Oliver Wahlstrom and Kyle MacLean. The Ottawa, Ontario native has five goals and five assists in 23 games this season and has posted some of the better underlying numbers of his career, despite his inflated turnover numbers.

In other New York Islanders notes:

  • Casey Cizikas is also in the Islanders lineup tonight against Montreal after missing the team’s morning skate today for undisclosed reasons (as per Andrew Gross of Newsday). Cizikas has struggled to contribute offensively this season, posting just a goal and an assist in 25 games.  The 33-year-old has long been one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL and continues to provide solid work away from the puck with 23 blocked shots and 53 hits thus far this year.
  • The Islanders have returned goaltender Marcus Hogberg to the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League. Hogberg was called up yesterday under emergency conditions to fill in for Semyon Varlamov who was day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Varlamov returned to New York’s lineup tonight (as per Andrew Gross) and the 30-year-old Hogberg is back in Bridgeport where he has posted a 2-4-3 record with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. The Orebro, Sweden native spent five seasons playing in the Ottawa Senators organization before he made the trip home, spending the past three seasons in Sweden in the SHL. Hogberg does have 42 games of NHL experience but hasn’t suited up in an NHL game since April of 2021.

Islanders Recall Marcus Hogberg, Semyon Varlamov Day-To-Day

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The New York Islanders have recalled goaltender Marcus Hogberg under emergency conditions. He’ll fill in for backup Semyon Varlamov, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury but is expected to travel with the team to Montreal. Varlamov played through New York’s Friday overtime-loss to the Washington Capitals and didn’t seem to suffer an injury. He backed up Ilya Sorokin’s shutout win on Saturday as well.

But it seems Varlamov may now need a break to ensure he’s at full health. The 36-year-old goaltender has appeared in 10 games this season, recording a 3-4-3 record and .889 save percentage. Varlamov has finished with a save percentage below .900 just once in his 17-year NHL career – when he managed a .898 in 24 games of the 2016-17 season. He more often finds his save percentage north of .910 – a mark he’s hit 12 different times, including his .918 in 28 games last season. Varlamov has been as consistent as a pro goaltender can be, making his losing record to start this season all the more surprising.

Hogberg has a chance to return to the NHL lineup should Varlamov step back. He’s spent the start of the season splitting AHL starts with Jakub Skarek. Both goalies have made 10 starts but Hogberg has the better stat line – posting a 2-4-3 record and .908 save percentage, to Skarek’s 3-7-0 record and .896 save percentage. Hogberg made a return to North American pros for this season after spending the last three years starting for Linkopings HC of Sweden’s SHL. He performed well in the role, playing at least 40 games and surpassing a .900 save percentage in each season. Hogberg combined for 59 wins and a .909 save percentage in 124 games over the three year stretch, picking up the tendency for strong play in Sweden that he showed prior to his 2016 move to North America. Hogberg played in 42 NHL games for the Ottawa Senators between 2018 and 2021 – recording nine wins and a .894.

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