The 2025-26 NHL season recently passed the halfway point, meaning it was time for most media outlets to publish their mid-season awards voting and/or projections.

Sadly, several of those informal mid-season media ballots did not include the guy who should arguably be leading every vote, and if he keeps his current form through the end of the season, should also win the Hart Trophy and the NHL’s MVP: Ilya Sorokin.

The New York Islanders No.1 is lapping the field (with the exception of Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals) when it comes to the mid-season statistics from Clear Sight Analytics, including a Goals Saved Above Expected Total of 20.17 (through all games on Jan. 12) that has already surpassed the 19.53 full season total that earned Connor Hellebuyck a second-straight Vezina and the Hart Trophy last season.

Sorokin’s gaudy goals-saved totals are more than double third place Spencer Knight (8.88) and Igor Shesterkin (8.81) in fourth place. The aforementioned Thompson is second at 15.93, still well within striking distance, but with half a season to go Sorokin has a chance to surpass Shesterkin’s 37.43 total that won him the Vezina trophy — and probably should have warranted a Hart — back in 2021-22 as the best season CSA has tracked.

So, why isn’t Sorokin’s sensational season so far being more widely recognized?

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