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Edmonton Oilers Linked to Former Goaltender of the Year as Trade Rumors Increase

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 9:12 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers are in major need of goaltending help, and now some speculation has linked them to Islanders' All-Star net minder Ilya Sorokin.

This off-season has been fun thus far in the NHL, with plenty of intriguing players moving teams, but as of right now, we are yet to see a blockbuster that could change the landscape of the NHL.

One team that is certainly looking for an upgrade is the Edmonton Oilers, who would love to improve upon Stuart Skinner as their No. 1 heading into 2025/26, and now they may have found their opportunity.

According to insider Frank Seravalli, the New York Islanders have held discussions internally about Ilya Sorokin as of late, and with the team adding so much young talent to their organization, they may look for a quick re-tool that could be benefitted from moving him.

It's unclear exactly what the Oilers could offer to land Sorokin, but after he was reportedly available at the 2025 NHL Draft, expect Stan Bowman to be aggressive as this team aims to take the final step in their pursuit of Canada's first Stanley Cup since the 1993 campaign.

As for the Islanders, this would be a move to re-tool around the young stars like Mat Barzal, Matthew Schaefer, Kashawn Aitcheson and Viktor Eklund, and after the team moved Noah Dobson for two first-round picks, it became clear that is their direction.

Right now, a deal between these two to send a star goaltender to Edmonton makes perfect sense, and with few assets to spend, the Oilers would need to get creative, so expect this to be a rumour that hangs around for quite some time.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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