The Relationship Between Patrick Roy & Semyon Varlamov Makes Colorado Return Extra Special
Patrick Roy's training camp has the Islanders ready to go.
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The Relationship Between Patrick Roy & Semyon Varlamov Makes Colorado Return Extra Special
Patrick Roy had to learn the New York Islanders players on the fly when he took over for Lane Lambert on Jan. 20, 2024.
Well, not every player.
Veteran goaltender Semyon Varlamov was his goalie when he served as the Colorado Avalanche head coach from 2013-2016.
With Ilya Sorokin struggling to live up to his potential last season, Roy, knowing Varlamov and what he could handle, went with the grizzled vet down the stretch, a move that was a major reason why the Islanders qualified for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Then, in the playoffs, Varlamov started four of the five first-round games against the Carolina Hurricanes, playing well.
So far, with Sorokin still trying to get 100 percent game-ready after offseason back surgery, Varlamov has been tasked with starting the first two games of the 2024-25 season and could get his third straight start tonight in Colorado.
If that does happen, what a special moment tonight will be for Varlamov and Roy.
Roy returns to Colorado for the first time since leaving the Avalanche bench following the 2015-16 season.
Roy, who won two Stanley Cups with Colorado (1996 & 2001) as a player, is a legend in Colorado even after how things ended in the summer of 2016.
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