Islanders Activate Ilya Sorokin, Reassign Marcus Hogberg

The Islanders activated goaltender Ilya Sorokin from injured reserve on Friday, per Stefen Rosner of NHL.com. He will dress as the backup to David Rittich for Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs before returning to action Tuesday versus the Devils. Third-stringer Marcus Högberg was returned to AHL Bridgeport in a corresponding move.

Sorokin, arguably the Vezina Trophy frontrunner at the halfway point of the season, has missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury. Pre-injury, he’d been excellent behind an Islanders defense that allows the third-most expected goals against per 60 minutes in the league at 5-on-5 (2.96), posting a .910 SV%, 2.55 GAA, and three shutouts with a 12-10-2 record in 24 starts. His 22.8 goals saved above expected rank first across the NHL, per MoneyPuck.

Rittich has also been highly competent this year, but has begun to show signs of wear as he attempts his sixth consecutive start this weekend. He was pulled after allowing five goals on 14 shots against the Mammoth yesterday, but still has a .909 SV% in 17 games on the year.

Still, if the Isles manage to keep up their 96-point pace and make the postseason cutoff, Sorokin, along with Calder favorite Matthew Schaefer, will be the names that have the most to do with it. Sorokin’s 137 career wins are already third in Islanders franchise history, and his .916 SV% is first (min. 100 starts).

Högberg’s only action on this recall came in the relief appearance against Utah yesterday, allowing two goals on seven shots. The 31-year-old has a .881 SV%, 3.08 GAA, and 5-7-3 record in 14 games for Bridgeport.