Varlamov allowed five goals on 26 shots in Thursday's 5-4 overtime loss against Utah.

EDGE Analysis

Varlamov was far from perfect Thursday night, but the team in front of him didn't do him many favors. The 36-year-old is in his 17th season in the NHL, and he could be in for a big workload to start the campaign -- the Islanders will likely ease Ilya Sorokin into action after undergoing back surgery during the offseason. Varlamov posted a 14-8-4 record with a .918 save percentage and a 2.60 GAA in 28 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. The Russian netminder's next chance to rebound will be Saturday against the Stars.