What an Islanders & Oilers’ Ilya Sorokin Trade Would Look Like

The Oilers can offer the Islanders Zach Hyman, a scorer to build around, Matthew Savoie, a 21-year-old forward and their top prospect, and their first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft. This return gives Darche a player whom he can immediately build around in Hyman, plus Savoie adds to the prospect pool. It’s the type of return Darche would take if he wants to build the Islanders in the long run. The other path is asking for players to help the team win now, something the Oilers will likely be skeptical about.

Oilers Would Give Up a Lot, Yet It’s Worth the Price of Elite Goaltending

If Darche is looking to keep the team competitive, he won’t ask for more prospects. Instead, he’ll look for a package that gives the Islanders talent in all three units. If the Oilers refuse to trade Hyman, he’ll target Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, another veteran forward who helps them win immediately. The other two players in the deal would likely be Jake Walman, a second-pair defenseman who rounds out the unit, and Pickard, to prevent the Islanders from having a glaring need in the net.

Now, this is a lot to give up for the Oilers for Sorokin. That’s the price for elite goaltending. Whether it’s worth it or not is a different discussion, but it allows them to head into next season knowing they are more prepared to win the Cup and possibly keep Connor McDavid around for the long term.

The Oilers built their core around McDavid with Leon Draisaitl and Hyman in the top six as well, while Evan Bouchard is anchoring the defense and opening up the offense at the point. It came at the cost of goaltending. This trade forces them to give up key players from this season’s roster but gives them a goaltender they can lean on and, when needed, still turn to Skinner, who has had his fair share of great starts in the playoffs as well.

Why the Oilers Won’t Make This Trade

It’s worth noting that Sorokin hasn’t played well in the playoffs. He’s only won one playoff series in his career, and notably struggled in the 2024 first round against the Carolina Hurricanes, allowing three goals on 14 shots. Sorokin is an upgrade over Skinner for the regular season, but not in the playoffs. The Oilers only care about the success in the playoffs, and ironically, Skinner has a better track record when the pressure is highest.

The Oilers also won’t want to move a core player just to add a goaltender. Trading Hyman creates a void in the top six, something they saw firsthand when the offense struggled to find that extra goal or two in the Final against the Florida Panthers. Adding Sorokin might fix the goaltending, but at the cost of a reliable forward unit or defense corps.

So, what’s the best route for the Oilers to take, knowing they must upgrade at the position? They need to improve, yet can’t give up too much in the process. It’s why making a trade for John Gibson or Thatcher Demko, two veterans who can carry the team in the net while keeping Skinner around, makes more sense.

Why the Islanders Won’t Make This Trade

If Darche is leading the rebuild, he’ll want to do so with Sorokin as a pivotal piece. It’s hard to find elite goaltenders and harder to replace them. Even if it takes time for the Islanders to build up a young group to make them competitive, Sorokin will still be playing at a high level and a key part of the team’s success.

In this trade scenario, Darche holds the most valuable asset and all the cards because of it. Unless there’s a deal that he can’t refuse, one that both adds top-notch prospects and stability in the net, he won’t move Sorokin. As much as the Oilers would love to add him, knowing how close they are to the Cup, the Islanders want to keep him, knowing how close he keeps them to a playoff spot.

Is there are trade package the Oilers can put together to acquire Sorokin, or is it too far-fetched? Let us know in the comments section below!