Top Five Vezina Trophy Candidates of the 2022-23 NHL Season

New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin put his name on the map last season, his second in the NHL. During his first season, he posted a record of 13-6-3 and ranked 15th in the Calder Trophy voting in his rookie year. He has been a solid goaltender since the 2020-2021 season and does not look to be slowing down.

Entering his third season in the NHL, Sorokin is determined to make the Islanders contenders again. With a tight division that will be a hard task but Sorokin has the mental preservation to withstand a long season and play well.

This season, Sorokin is 6-3 with a .933 save percentage and a 2.20 GAA, to go along with one shutout. The Islanders are 8-5, which is third in the Metropolitan Division. Sorokin may not lead many goaltending categories but he is the reason the Islanders are above .500.

He has played spectacular hockey and, on most nights, is standing on his head. The Islanders are trying to get back to the playoffs and, with Sorokin between the pipes, this is certainly possible.

Sorokin is tenth in the NHL amongst goalies in GAA and eighth in save percentage. This does not seem like Vezina Trophy-caliber stats but he has been under fire most nights and kept New York in most games. He refuses to quit and has shown poise in the crease.

In his nine games, he is making almost 30 saves per game. While his defense is not what it used to be, Sorokin thrives with the number of shots. His agility and quickness have allowed him to stop six of seven short-handed opportunities against him for a .857 save percentage.

He does not quit on any play and is always in position for the next shot.