Report: Islanders re-sign Maxim Tsyplakov to two-year contract
A player who was heading to salary arbitration looks to have come to terms on a new deal.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the New York Islanders managed to avoid arbitration with forward Maxim Tsyplakov, agreeing to terms on a two-year contract. The deal will carry an AAV of $2.25 million through the 2026-27 season.
NYI and Maxim Tsyplakov avoid arbitration
2 x $2.25M
Tsyplakov was one of seven players who had their arbitration hearings set. The Isles and the player’s camp were scheduled to meet next Tuesday if the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement. Tsyplakov was coming off his one-year, entry-level contract, which carried an AAV of $1.95 million thanks to $1 million in signing bonuses.
On an Islanders team that struggled to score last season, finishing 23rd in the NHL in goals for, Tsyplakov was a solid producer. In 77 games during his rookie season, he scored 10 goals and 25 assists for 35 points, finishing sixth on the team in scoring and leading all Islander rookies. The 26-year-old posted a plus/minus of +4 while averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time per game.
Prior to signing with Long Island, the Moscow, Russia native had built up his stock with a couple of solid seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League with Spartak Moskva. The undrafted winger had the performance of his pro career in the 2023-24 season, posting career highs in goals (31), assists (16), and points (47).
Across seven seasons with Spartak, Tsyplakov appeared in 327 regular-season games, scoring 63 goals and 58 assists for 121 points. He also notched seven points in 27 Gagarin Cup Playoff affairs.
Due to the sanctions imposed on Russia by the IIHF, Tsyplakov’s international success has been limited in recent years, although he did play for Team Russia in the 2017 CHL Canada-Russia Series.
With the signing, the Islanders are projected to have a little over $1.7 million in cap space, according to CapWages.