Former KHLer Proving To Be A Diamond In The Tough For Islanders Early In Rookie Season

When the New York Islanders signed then 25-year-old left winger Maxim Tsyplakov out of the KHL off a career-high 31-goal season for Moscow Spartak, he was only a title and a significant query mark.

By way of 18 NHL video games, the now 26-year-old has confirmed that he’s a bona fide NHLer and could possibly be a significant key to the Islanders’ offense this season and sooner or later.

Tsyplakov has performed the complete season on the Islanders’ second line alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, two 30-goal scorers.

As a trio, they sit within the prime 15 within the NHL with 11.3 anticipated goals-for (xGF), per moneypuck.com, and are tied for the seventh-most objectives within the league, with 11.

Whereas Tsyplakov’s objective whole – two objectives by means of 18 video games – is probably not as excessive as he would love, his eight assists solely path Palmieri and heart Bo Horvat for the crew lead.

His seven assists at 5-on-5 are second on the crew behind Bo Horvat’s eight.

Tsyplakov is the definition of an influence ahead, utilizing his 6-foot-3, 210-pound body to his benefit.

He leads the Islanders with 49 hits, averaging 2.7 per recreation. He additionally leads the crew’s ahead group with 9 takeaways.

Tsyplakov’s IQ, board play, net-front presence, and talent to play behind the web make him an incredible menace when he’s on the ice, and head coach Patrick Roy has allowed him to flourish, taking part in him 16:41 minutes per recreation, together with on the crew’s second power-play unit.

“Once we watch him, like earlier than speaking to him and hoping that he’ll be part of our crew, that is what we noticed within the video,” Roy stated. “He was across the web. He was defending the puck effectively, he was protecting the protection, and once we spoke to him, it was precisely what I stated. That is the rationale why we like him. That is why we expect he may play on prime strains for us straight away as a result of he is 26. He is able to play. So, I am not shocked.”

As a result of Tsyplakov was underneath 26 by Sept. 16, he’s eligible for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s finest rookie.

Out of the star-studded rookie draft class, Tsyplakov’s 10 factors solely path Philadelphia Flyers’ proper winger Matvei Michkov (15), Dallas Stars’ proper winger Logan Stankoven (14 and Montreal Canadiens left winger Lane Hutson (11).

Related: NHL Calder Trophy Tracker: Stankoven, Michkov And Hutson In Dead Heat, But Celebrini Lurks

Given his age, Tsyplakov is bodily and mentally mature sufficient for the NHL recreation.

He joins the likes of fellow Russian forwards, the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin and the Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, as gamers who signed as free brokers out of the KHL and had instant success.

Panarin signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as a 23-year-old forward of the 2015-16 season after a 26-goal, 62-point season with SKA St. Petersburg. In 80 video games, Panarin took dwelling the Calder after scoring 30 objectives with 47 assists for 77 factors.

Now in his tenth NHL season, Panarin has recorded 804 factors (275 objectives, 529 assists) in 687 profession video games.

After drafting Kaprizov within the fifth spherical (No. 135) of the 2015 NHL Draft, the Wild signed their prized possession 5 years later regardless of dropping his rights. Kaprizov had led the KHL in objectives for 2 straight seasons, scoring 30 in 2018-19 and 33 in 2019-20.

In his rookie marketing campaign, Kaprizov additionally received the Calder after scoring 27 objectives and 24 assists for 51 factors in 55 video games.

Kaprizov, who’s in his fifth NHL season, has 361 factors (171 objectives, 190 assists) in 295 video games.

Tsyplakov isn’t the elite goal-scorer that these two are, however he’s been an unbelievable addition to the Islanders.

He offers the offense and powerful all-around play. Actually the form of participant the Islanders have been eager for.

The Islanders must decide about Tsyplakov come season’s finish, as he’s on an expiring one-year entry-level contract value $950,000.

The pending RFA does have arbitration rights, and whereas there are nonetheless 64 video games left to go within the season, there’s no query that Tsyplakov ought to be a part of the long-term equation.

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