Islanders GM clarifies Ilya Sorokin's involvement in major mid-season goalie coach change, Piero Greco's firing

The New York Islanders announced a surprising move on Wednesday. GM Mathieu Darche made it known that the club had made a goalie coach change, following Piero Greco’s dismissal.

Greco, who had been with the Islanders since 2018, was fired amid a slumping starting netminder, Ilya Sorokin. In Greco’s place, AHL goalie coach Sergei Naumovs was promoted to the big club.

Naumovs has worked with Sorokin during offseasons, has been credited with helping Sorokin improve his game. That situation prompted Darche to clarify Sorokin’s alleged involvement in the decision to move on from Greco.

Darche stated during a press availability on Wednesday:

"It's my decision. The players will never you 'Hey, I want this coach'. I know he's had success with Sergei, and that's where we went."

Darche made it known that he was the responsible party for Greco’s dismissal. As he stated, it was “100 percent” on him.

It’s worth pointing out that the relationship between Naumovs and Sorokin goes back some time. Naumovs coached Sorokin during the latter’s time with CSKA Moskva. Naumovs worked with Sorokin from 2018 to 2020, a time in which Sorokin was brilliant in the KHL, posting a 54-16-7 record with a .937 SV%.

Islanders needed a reset for their goalies

The Islanders went from having arguably the best goalie tandem in the NHL to an uncertain situation. The tandem of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov was a huge part of the Isles’ improbable playoff run in 2024.

However, things have changed this season. Varlamov is still recovering from knee surgery, while Sorokin has struggled. As such, Darche made it known that it was time for the Islanders’ goalies to get a reset.

He stated:

“We just felt at this time it was the right timing to have a reset with our goalies. There’s obviously a history with Sergei and Ilya, and we just made that decision going forward.”

That reset includes Varlamov as he recovers from surgery, and David Rittich. The Isles signed Rittich this past offseason to back up Sorokin. The switch from Greco to Naumovs promises to boost Sorokin’s play while helping the other netminders stay on top of their game.

Naumovs had been working with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. The internal move seems reasonable, as an in-season coaching change always tends to be a complicated move.

The Isles have recovered from an 0-3 start and look poised to turn things around. The club hopes that Naumovs’ influence will aid the team in getting back into the playoff hunt.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan