On Monday, the New York Islanders announced that goaltender Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. To accommodate this, the team has recalled Marcus Hogberg from the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders.
Varlamov will still travel with the team for their upcoming game against the Montreal Canadiens, making Hogberg’s recall an emergency measure to fill the goaltending spot.
The 36-year-old Varlamov has played in 10 games this season, recording a 3-4-3 record, with an .889 save percentage and a 2.89 goals-against average. His most recent game was on Friday against the Washington Capitals, where he stopped 21 shots, aiding the Islanders in earning a point during a 5-4 overtime loss.
Varlamov is currently in the second year of a four-year contract worth an average of $2.75 million annually, according to PuckPedia. The Russian goaltender has been with the Islanders for five seasons and has a current season record of 14-8-4, featuring a .918 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average over 28 games. Across his career, Varlamov boasts a record of 289-232-71, having played for the Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders, after being drafted 23rd overall by the Capitals in the 2006 NHL Draft.
Hogberg has achieved two victories in 10 games with Bridgeport this season, posting a .908 save percentage and a 2.97 goals-against average. The 30-year-old netminder returned to North America after spending the last three seasons in Sweden. His last NHL appearance was in 2020-21 with the Ottawa Senators, where he played 14 games and finished with a 4-7-0 record.
After a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, the Islanders are looking to maintain their momentum in their matchup against the Canadiens. This season, New York holds a record of 9-10-6 and is three points away from the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
