Ice hockey star Ilya Sorokin is one of the top goaltenders in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Russian native has become one of the most well-respected goalies in the league in a relatively short length of time after signing with the New York Islanders in 2020. In just 74 NHL career games he has notched up an impressive highlights reel packed full of jaw-dropping saves and received the save of the year award for his remarkable display of athleticism stealing a goal and swatting a puck from mid-air when the Islanders played the New York Rangers. Sorokin was also a member of the gold medal-winning Russian team at the 2018 Winter Olympics and has earned three bronze medals at IIHF World Championships (2016, 2017, and 2019).

Born in Mezhdurechensk, Russia, Sorokin joined KHL club Metallurg Novokuznetsk in 2012 as a 17 year old and made his professional and KHL debut the following season. The talented netminder was selected in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders before spending stints with Metallurg Novokuznetsk and CSKA Moscow, where he made highlight after highlight saves. Because of issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic it was January 2021 before the formidable Russian crossed the pond and made his Islanders and NHL debut, but his elite standard of goaltending since his arrival has been more than worth the wait.