New York Islanders
· 2026-06-28
The New York Islanders expect Semyon Varlamov to return this season, with the goalie recovering from major knee problems.
Varlamov has been on the ice and feels the best he has in four or five years, according to GM Mathieu Darche.
He underwent two knee replacement surgeries and last appeared in a game for the Islanders on Nov. 29, 2024.
The team plans to sign other goalies as insurance, with last year's backup David Rittich an option.
Varlamov's health is key, and if he's healthy, he'll be the backup next year, said Darche.
The Islanders currently stand 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 43-34 record, on a L3 streak.
The team will bring in other goaltenders, but Varlamov is expected to play a significant role.
He's been training without medication and has been on the ice at Northwell Health Ice Center twice a week.
The Islanders also made moves in the draft, selecting defensemen Malte Gustafsson, Lincoln Kuehne, and Vladimir Dravecky.
And they acquired defenseman Ryan Healey from the Wild for future considerations.
Darche isn't planning to make a qualifying offer to restricted free agent defenseman Adam Boqvist.
This could give prospect Isaiah George an opportunity at the NHL level, either as a seventh defenseman or in a bigger role.
The Islanders are thin on the right side of their prospect pool, making the draft picks significant.
Gustafsson, a big, physical defenseman, will take part in the team's upcoming developmental camp for prospects.
He plans to return next season to HV71 of the SHL, the top professional league in his native Sweden.
The 6-foot-4, 203-pound, 18-year-old Gustafsson was taken 13th overall in the draft.
The Islanders also selected Russian center Artyom Matyuk in the sixth round and American right wing Robert Cowan in the seventh.