New York Islanders land coveted Russian free agent Maxim Tsyplakov

Maxim Tsyplakov has been one of the most coveted free agents on the market after finishing up his time in the KHL with Moscow Spartak, and on Thursday, he officially shocked the hockey world by inking a deal with the New York Islanders.

The signing comes despite reported interest from both the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, as the 25-year old likely sees an opportunity to play big minutes with the Islanders while having the opportunity to make a playoff push. In his final KHL year, Tsyplakov tallied 31 goals and 47 points in 63 games played, and now feels the time is right to make the jump to the NHL.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 190 pounds, Tsyplakov has all the talent to make it in the NHL, and after Andrei Kuzmenko made the jump to Vancouver last season, he could follow a similar pattern of success. It is just a one year deal however, so we will see how it plays out for New York, but as of right now, the Islanders landed a massive name that could positively impact their team immediately in 2024-25.