The New York Islanders have called up goaltender Marcus Hogberg on an emergency basis to replace backup Semyon Varlamov, who is day-to-day due to a lower-body injury but is anticipated to travel with the team to Montreal. Varlamov played through Friday’s overtime loss to the Washington Capitals without appearing to be injured and served as the backup for Ilya Sorokin’s shutout victory on Saturday.
However, it appears Varlamov might need some time off to recover fully. The 36-year-old has participated in 10 games this season, with a record of 3-4-3 and a save percentage of .889. Throughout his 17-year NHL career, he has only once finished with a save percentage below .900—in the 2016-17 season—while typically maintaining a save percentage over .910, achieving that benchmark 12 times, including a .918 last season in 28 games. His current losing record is surprising, given his consistency as a professional goaltender.
Should Varlamov take a break, Hogberg could have the opportunity to return to the NHL. He has been sharing AHL duties with Jakub Skarek, with both goalies making 10 starts, but Hogberg boasts the superior stats—holding a 2-4-3 record and .908 save percentage compared to Skarek’s 3-7-0 record and .896 save percentage.
Hogberg is back in North American professional hockey after spending the previous three seasons with Linkopings HC in Sweden’s SHL, where he played over 40 games each year and maintained a save percentage above .900. Across 124 games during that time, he recorded 59 wins and a .909 save percentage, showcasing the strong performance he exhibited prior to moving to North America in 2016. From 2018 to 2021, Hogberg appeared in 42 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, achieving nine wins and a .894 save percentage.
