<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-islanders/line-combinations">New York Islanders</a> fans are going to have to wait a little longer before Semyon Varlamov skates with the rest of his teammates. </p>



<p>Reporters asked head coach Patrick Roy Wednesday if Varlamov would return to the team sometime in the near future, to which Roy responded with a one-word answer. </p>



<p>“No.” </p>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Roy was asked if he expected Varlamov to rejoin the group soon.</p>
<p>Roy: "No."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Isles</a></p>
<p>— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) <a href="https://twitter.com/stefen_rosner/status/1970882389703622876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>



<p>The news comes as Varlamov, who last played Nov. 29, 2024 and has two years remaining on a four-year, $11 million contract with a cap hit of $2.75 million, has yet to practice with the team through training camp, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/isles-day-to-day-engvall-out-2-3-weeks-varlamov-progressing#:~:text=The%20team%20also%20provided%20an,889%20SV%25.">only skating on his own</a>. </p>



<p>Varlamov appeared in just 10 games in 2024-25, posting a 3-4-3 record, a 2.89 goals against average (GAA) and .889 save percentage (SV%). After the season ended, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/varlamov-expecting-to-be-ready-for-isles-training-camp">the netminder told reporters </a>he expected to be ready for training camp. </p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="162"></div>



<p>“Everything is going well with rehab and physiotherapy,” he said. “The main focus for me to finish the rehab, hopefully soon, and have a good summer of training, and then ready for September for training camp. That’s the goal.”</p>



<p>However, the Islanders signed veteran goalie<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/new-york-islanders-sign-david-rittich-one-year-contract-nhl-free-agency"> David Rittich to a one-year contract </a>on July 1, fuelling speculation that the 37-year-old Varlamov wouldn’t be ready in time for the upcoming season. </p>



<p>Joining the Islanders ahead of the 2019-20 season, the Samara, Russia, native has produced a 76-63-21 record with a .916 SV% and 2.57 GAA in 173 regular-season games through six seasons. Arguably his best regular-season totals on Long Island came during the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 campaign, posting a 19-11-4 record with a .929 SV% and 2.04 GAA in 36 regular appearances. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="131"></div>



<p>Between 2020 and 2021, he posted an 18-14 record with a .922 SV% and 2.31 GAA in 34 Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping New York reach the Conference Finals in 2020. </p>



<p>Varlamov, a 2006 first-round pick for the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/washington-capitals/line-combinations">Washington Capitals</a>, has appeared in 621 NHL regular-season games across 17 seasons with the Islanders, Capitals and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations">Colorado Avalanche</a>, posting a 289-232-71 record with a .916 SV% and 2.65 GAA, along with 41 shutouts. </p>



<p>His best season in a non-COVID-19 effected year came in 2013-14 with the Avalanche, posting a 41-14-6 record with a .927 SV% and 2.41 GAA in 63 appearances. He finished second in Vezina Trophy voting and placed fourth in Hart Trophy voting. </p>



<p>The Islanders went 35-35-12 with 82 points in 2024-25, finishing sixth in the Metropolitan Division and falling nine points short of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="147"></div>
