James Nichols
No one heard much about Maxim Tsyplakov until the mid-point of the 2023-24 season. The Russian forward was making a name for himself overseas in the KHL, drawing NHL eyes for his eventual leap to North America. The New York Islanders won the arms race for Tsyplakov, however, he lately finds himself as the odd-man out of the lineup. The New Jersey Devils should at least inquire with the Islanders on his availability.
READ MORE: Devils GM Could Be Forced Into Tough Decision
Tsyplakov signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Islanders over the summer, a stunning development with teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers bidding for the forward.
As a result of an illegal check, Tsyplakov recently served a three-game suspension for laying his shoulder into the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward, Ryan Poehling.
Yet, despite Tsyplakov’s sentence being served, the 26-year-old rookie hasn’t been able to draw back into the Islanders’ lineup. Forward Marc Gatcomb has since taken Tsyplakov’s spot in the Islanders’ lineup, and has impressed with his work ethic.
Certainly, it’s not the work of Gatcomb alone, nor is it the absence of Tsyplakov, but the Islanders are 4-0-0 in their last four games.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy explained until he has a reason to change things up, he won’t.
“The forwards will be the same as the last game,” Roy told the Islanders media over the weekend before their tilt with the Carolina Hurricanes. “It’s hard when you win three in a row to make some changes. They all deserve to play, and Max understands that as well. So we’re going to go with the same forwards.”
However, Tsyplakov didn’t ink an NHL deal to leave regular minutes in the KHL. The Russian forward wants to play.
“I know Tsyplakov wants to play and everything, but hey, we’re winning games,” Roy explained.
The Devils’ need for depth scoring has been well documented. They’ll be in the market for depth forwards, and Tsyplakov fits the bill.
The Russian forward is a shoot-first mentality who possesses some playmaking ability. At 6-foot-2, 190 lbs, he’s clearly not afraid to play physically. And aside from his recent suspension, has no other history of utilizing it illegally.
Last season with Spartak Moskva, Tsyplakov potted 31 goals in 65 games. In what’s widely considered the world’s second-strongest league over in the KHL, you don’t score 30-plus goals by accident.
This season with the Islanders, Tsyplakov has potted seven goals in 44 games on a team starved for offense. His 19 points lands him seventh in the rookie-scoring race.
One of the Devils’ priorities is to address the center position. They’ve been linked to names such as Jake Evans and even an upper-echelon player in J.T. Miller.
However, the Devils could use a scorer who can mesh in with the top-six as well.
As recently as two games ago, Nathan Bastian was penciled in next to Jack Hughes on what was supposed to be the Devils’ first line.
The Devils have their core stars in place. But, the lack the forward depth necessary is evident when head coach Sheldon Keefe needs to shake up the lines.
The result is a fourth line forward receiving reps on Hughes’ wing, just for the Devils’ head coach to put the lines in a blender again mid-game.
The left-shot forward certainly helps address the depth scoring need and may not come at a very high cost, despite his restricted free agent status due to a small NHL sample. That should also allow the Devils to add a center on the NHL trade market.
On Long Island, they’re not waving the white flag, especially given their recent success. However, their top forwards in Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri continue to be spoken of as trade targets at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline for playoff-bound teams.
Given Tysplakov’s age and toolkit, he’s a perfect target for the Devils. His age fits with the core of the roster, and they don’t have to commit to the player very long if he doesn’t work out. Tsyplakov has one year remaining as an RFA, and then the Devils could let him walk. Or, he could work out, and the Devils could decide to commit to him.
From the look of it, it seems the Islanders view Tsyplakov as a replaceable player. With the Devils’ need for depth scoring, he’s worth taking a flyer on as a player with upside.
At the very least, the Devils should inquire on his availability.
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