The New York Islanders made a procedural — but important — move ahead of Saturday night’s game against the New York Rangers, placing franchise goaltender Ilya Sorokin on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20.
The designation means Sorokin is eligible to return as soon as Sunday night when the Islanders visit the Columbus Blue Jackets, having satisfied the league’s mandatory seven-day IR requirement. Whether that actually happens remains uncertain and likely won’t be known until game day.
What began as a “small, nagging issue” the team hoped would only cost Sorokin a single start has now forced the Islanders to navigate at least one full week and two games without their No.