SIOUX FALLS — The New York Islanders had been keeping tabs on Josh Kotai for a while now.
Now, Augustana’s star goaltender is going to get his first shot as a professional.
The Vikings announced Tuesday that Kotai had signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Islanders, becoming the first player in program history to sign with an NHL team.
“They’ve done their homework, and they’re really happy with where I’m at,” said Kotai, who turned 23 earlier this month. “For me, looking at them, it’s a cool opportunity. They’ve got lots of new guys, lots of young guys on their team, so they’re a team on the up-and-coming. They’ve always been around competing as well, which is great because I want a chance to be able to win and compete for the Cup as well.
“I think they’ve got a great organization of staff and players, who really build a family around each other and look to compete every season.”
Augustana goalie Josh Kotai looks out onto the ice during warmups prior to the start of a game against Northern Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at Midco Arena in Sioux Falls.
Peyton Bartsch Photography
A junior from Abbotsford, British Columbia, Kotai is coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he dazzled between the pipes for the Vikings, who finished with a 22-11-4 record.
Kotai was credited with 20 of Augustana’s wins during the season, notching a 1.99 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. His +30.51 goals saved above expected ranks first in the nation.
With that résumé, Kotai was named the CCHA Player of the Year, and just last week, he was selected as one of three finalists for the Mike Richter Award, which is given annually to the top goaltender in Division I men’s hockey.
“It’s a reflection of himself, personally, his drive to realize an opportunity like this,” Augustana coach Garrett Raboin said about Kotai. “It should be felt and celebrated by his teammates who have done so much to wrap their arms around him, let him be who he is, let him feel supported in his drive towards reaching this moment. … This is what can happen, too, if you come back, and it was hard for us to keep Josh for one more year.
“A lot of my time a year ago at this point was to convince him, his teammates to convince him and others that this is something he can achieve if he comes back, and we talked at the beginning of the season, building on a season that he had last year.”
For Kotai, it was a stellar follow-up campaign to a sophomore season that saw him finish with a 17-10-3 record, 1.92 GAA and .936 save percentage.
Kotai was one of 10 freshmen who arrived in Sioux Falls in 2023 as part of the Vikings’ inaugural team. He amassed a 3.32 GAA and .904 save percentage in 2023-24, going 2-9-2 between the pipes.
But the starting job was wide open heading into the 2024-25 season, and Kotai was the player who emerged with the reins.
The 6-foot-2 netminder departs from Augustana with a 39-30-9 record with eight shutouts, recording a .931 save percentage and 2.17 GAA in 79 total appearances. He also had four career assists, including three in 2025-26.
“I think throughout my years, I’ve had ups and downs, especially that first year,” Kotai said. “It was lots of learning, but I think I learned about myself to just stick with it each and every day and that I can work through any troubles.
“I can fix things with the help of my coaches as well, but to be able to recognize that in myself has been huge for me and my growth.”
Kotai now joins an Islanders goalie room led by Ilya Sorokin, who has 26 wins and a 2.53 GAA this season. New York’s head coach is NHL legend Patrick Roy, who won four Stanley Cups as a goaltender during his 19-year playing career with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche.
“To learn from such good goaltenders — Roy, one of the greatest of all time — it’ll be a great experience to be able to learn from those guys,” Kotai said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Trent Singer is a sports reporter for Sioux Falls Live. He focuses his coverage on Augustana men’s hockey and Sioux Falls area sports. Singer’s previous stops include Just Women’s Sports, the Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New Era.