With goaltenders at the NHL level being bigger, stronger, and faster than ever, screens and deflections have been on the rise. Defensemen have to put more of an emphasis on clearing the front of the net, to allow their netminders the highest chance at making the save. On the flip-side, netminders have to communicate when their vision becomes impaired.

For the New York Islanders and goaltender Iyla Sorokin, this was a major issue in their season-opener on Thursday night.

When Sorokin is in between the pipes, there is a sense of calmness. The 26-year old netminder has shown over his first season, that he is positionally sound, in control of his rebounds, and sits towards the upper echelon of the NHL regarding lateral movement.

His ability to be effective comes with his ability to see the puck. When that is taken away, the struggles begin.