Rosner Wrap: Sorokin Back on LI, Prospects Shining

Good morning New York Islanders faithful. Shortly after this, I am heading out east for an overnight trip for my anniversary.

I have two stories for you guys over the next two days that you will really enjoy. I’ll be off the grid barring any breaking news.

Tuesday and Wednesday were strong days for two New York Islanders prospects at the World Juniors.

There was more positive news to share as I heard and confirmed that Ilya Sorokin was not just back on U.S. soil, but he was also back on Long Island.

There was a bit of a scare a few months ago when Ilya Sorokin’s name was mentioned by an independent Russian media site as a player who could have a hard time returning to the United States given the war on Ukraine and the need for a military draft.

New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello did say at the NHL Draft that he wasn’t concerned about any of his Russian players.

Sorokin’s fell Russian, Semyon Varlamov, did not return to Russia this offseason. He usually spends his offseason in Texas.

So that’s something the fanbase can breathe a sigh of relief, for now.

Unfortunately, there is some incredibly sad news to share as the biggest Edmonton Oilers fan, a five-year-old boy named Ben Stelter lost his battle with cancer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, the Edmonton Oilers family, as this was a boy that through all he endured always had the brightest smile in the room.

Rest easy.

And now, the stories to know for today:

NYI Hockey Now: Earlier today, Kevin Weekes hinted that at least four New York Islanders transactions are coming, with the timeline TBD. Some seem easy to guess, others are speculation. I threw in a few tidbits after reports surfaced yesterday regarding Nazem Kadri:

NYI Hockey Now: New York Islanders prospect William Dufour kicked off his World Juniors right where he left off. After winning the Memorial Cup and being crowned MVP, Dufour netted a goal and recorded an assist. Highlights and analysis of

NYI Hockey Now: New York Islanders prospect Aatu Räty started his World Juniors with a bang. In Finland’s first contest against Latvia, Räty notched a goal and three assists in the win. Highlights and analysis of Aatu Räty’s performance.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: It’s near about mid-August. The dog days of the NHL calendar. No better time to talk about a player whose name seems to always evoke a strong response from the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful. Marc-Andre Fleury.

Boston Hockey Now: While there was undoubtedly some Boston Bruins excitement generated by new contracts signed by Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Pavel Zacha at the beginning of this week, it doesn’t appear that momentum is going to carry over immediately to looming UFA David Pastrnak.Q

Washington Hockey Now: After closing out the 2021-22 campaign with the Washington Capitals, Johan Larsson is reportedly headed back home to Sweden. Per Elite Prospects, Larsson has inked a three-year deal with the Swedish Hockey League’s Brynäs IF. This deal has not been announced or finalized yet. However, it would mean that the 30-year-old’s NHL tenure would end for the time being.

Florida Hockey Now: The Florida Panthers continue to add former Ottawa Senators to their ranks as they have reportedly signed goaltender Andrew Hammond to a professional tryout. In 67 NHL games, Hammond — known as the ‘Hamburglar’ whAen he broke onto the scene with the Sens — is 31-20-7 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against-average in his career.

Montreal Hockey Now: Could the Dallas Stars or Arizona Coyotes be targeting Montreal Canadiens goalie Jake Allen on the NHL trade market? An NHL source told Montreal Hockey Now that both teams have inquired about acquiring the Canadiens goalie on the NHL trade market before and opined that it could make a ton of sense for both the Coyotes and the Stars to do so once Carey Price’s situation becomes clearer.

Philly Hockey Now: The Philadelphia Flyers will open training camp on Sept. 21, and when they do, they will have lots of  motivation. The media throughout North America, you see, predicts they will have another sad-sack season. Catch the latest episode of the Broad Street Bullcast as Sam Cardichi answers questions about general manager Chuck Fletcher, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, the team’s direction, and much more.

Vegas Hockey Now: On Tuesday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that newcomer Max Pacioretty would undergo surgery for his Achilles tendon and miss six an estimated time of months. Dr. Kevin Logel at Raleigh Orthopaedic will perform the surgery on Wednesday. Did the Vegas Golden Knights dodge a bullet?

San Jose Hockey Now: The San Jose Sharks organization is bringing in a couple veterans with NHL experience: Luke Johnson and Derrick Pouliot. Johnson, 27, is a forward who has played 32 games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild. He was originally a 2013 Blackhawks’ fifth-round pick. “Luke is a very competitive forward with lots of professional experience,” San Jose Barracuda GM Joe Will said in a team press release.

Vancouver Hockey Now:  Although it’s been quiet around the Rogers Arena offices the last couple weeks, other than the ongoing renovations at ground level, the impact of some of the Vancouver Canucks earlier moves could be felt for many seasons. Here’s the highlights of the 2022 off-season thus far.