ELMONT, N.Y. — It’s still six days until the first New York Islanders game that counts. But as they closed their preseason with another strong performance Friday against the Rangers, there was more evidence that free-agent signee Maxim Tsyplakov could end up being the under-the-radar addition that could give this team an enormous boost in 2024-25.
“I don’t think anyone thought he was going to be this good, truthfully,” Mat Barzal said after a five-point night in a 5-2 win over the Rangers. “You’ve seen some of the Russian players come over (from the KHL) and some pan out, some don’t. (Tsyplakov) came in and within literally 30 seconds of watching him I could tell he was going to be good. And within a period of our first intrasquad game I think we knew pretty quick he was going to be a stud. He’s a great player.”
New York goal!
Scored by Maxim Tsyplakov with 00:37 remaining in the 2nd period.
Assisted by Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair.
New York: 3
New York: 2#NYRvsNYI #Isles #NYR pic.twitter.com/jFkThrkBmy— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 5, 2024
The 26-year-old Tsyplakov had a number of suitors this summer when he decided to come to the NHL after seven seasons with Spartak Moscow, only the last of which did he display the sort of skill level and production players need to get noticed over here. He chose the Islanders in part because he had a chance to earn a spot higher in the lineup than he might on a deeper offensive team, and the Islanders have made him earn it ahead of the season.
Tsyplakov willingly participated in the team’s development camp, a week of on-ice work with players five and six years younger in some cases — many experiencing their first week as a pro. Tsyplakov did the work and earned some trust. He also carried some momentum into the main camp, where he started as a fourth-liner with NHL/AHL tweeners like Fredrik Karlstrom and Julien Gauthier.
“I love the fact that he wants to learn. He wants to be a pro,” Patrick Roy said. “He’s doing everything. Since he’s been here, that’s his mindset and his mindset is very good.”
Tsyplakov has worked his way up the lineup, and where he played Friday, alongside Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall (the latter a stand-in for Kyle Palmieri, who didn’t play), seems to be where he’ll start the season Thursday when Utah HC visits UBS Arena for the opener. Perhaps equally important is Tsyplakov earning a spot on the top power-play unit, working as the net-front forward with Noah Dobson, Barzal, Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair.
Palmieri held that spot last season and produced 10 power-play goals, tied for the team lead. But it seems Tsyplakov’s ability to distribute from below the goal line gives him an edge with that group, a skill he displayed quite well on the first of two Isles power-play goals Friday. Tsyplakov popped out to Igor Shesterkin’s right, held the puck to draw both Rangers defenders down and open a seam to Barzal on the half-wall. Barzal fed Horvat in the slot for a one-timer aided by Tsyplakov’s screen.
“He sees the ice well, doesn’t turn a lot of pucks over, he’s physical,” Barzal said. “A super complete player. I’m a big fan of his.”
Using his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame has been a big part of what’s made Tsyplakov stand out in the preseason. He made a power move around Zac Jones for a chance in tight that Shesterkin denied in the first period, and his ability to pull up inside the zone and find trailing defensemen has added to his offensive game. He’s also improved his defensive awareness.
“What’s great about him is after the Flyers game (on Monday) I told him, ‘Make sure you see the D because that’s a big difference,’” Roy said. “The D are always jumping in the rush. Tonight, he knew, he fixed that. So this is a lot of credit for what he’s doing.”
The games still haven’t mattered, so there is more to be done for Tsyplakov. If he can’t continue to handle whatever Roy throws at him, he won’t last in that top-six role. But so far, this flier on an unknown has looked like one of the shrewder moves of the offseason for Lou Lamoriello.
“I feel every game better, every day,” Tsyplakov said. “I’m excited. I’m ready.”
Stray observations
• Oliver Wahlstrom earned praise from Roy for his Friday performance, one that could be important for rounding out the opening-night roster. He lost coverage on the Rangers’ opening goal but otherwise had a strong night alongside Kyle MacLean and Casey Cizikas; that spot on the right next to those two is really the only lineup spot open ahead of Thursday.
Everyone vying for that spot — Wahlstrom, Gauthier, Engvall and Hudson Fasching, who is still working back from injury — needs waivers to be sent down. Of those four, Wahlstrom is perhaps the most likely to be claimed, so that could dictate some upcoming decisions. The Islanders can keep only one of them up, and if it’s Wahlstrom they could only be salary-cap compliant if Engvall is waived, since Wahlstrom makes $1 million and Engvall is the only forward who would save more than that number against the cap if sent down.
So there’s more than who played best that determines what will happen.
• The same is true on defense, where Samuel Bolduc is clearly not performing as well in the chase for the seventh defense slot as Dennis Cholowski or Grant Hutton but is still likely to be kept on the roster. Hutton struggled Friday in Scott Mayfield’s spot, and he and Cholowski would almost certainly clear waivers. Bolduc may, as well, but a bit less likely, so the Isles may hold onto Bolduc.
This really isn’t as much of a debate as the last two forward spots since the Islanders have their clear top six on defense and an injury or two, as happened last season, would more than likely require a trade or waiver claim rather than turning to one of the depth D. That may be an issue for Lamoriello and the Islanders again since their top six has had a hard time staying healthy in recent years, but cap constraints and job opportunities have forced them into this situation. No experienced NHL defenseman would want to take that seventh spot knowing there’s little chance on paper that he would get regular playing time.
(Photo of Maxim Tsyplakov after scoring a goal: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
