This is a guy who’s yet to turn 28. This is a guy who was once a highly touted young goalie who struggled with issues unrelated to the game itself. He’s worked on addressing his mental health and resulting addiction (with medication and 15-months of sobriety to date), and is finally just now, just this past season, playing clear. There’s a real possibility he could be a great – not good, great – goaltender in the league for years to come....
What seemed to happen, at least partially, is that the Islanders – most specifically Lou Lamoriello – overthought themselves out of a good goaltender who openly loved Long Island and seemed all but dying to integrate himself into the community after having already ingratiated himself to the fans. It seems like the Islanders thought that having a Russian goaltender – that being Varlamov – could help them achieve some other goals they were after (which to me don’t seem like “win-now” goals).
-Justin Bourne of The Athetic where you can read more (paid) on this topic.
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